Integrated OHS management systems: is it the final frontier regarding OHS?

Abstract

Undoubtedly, we are living in an age of a superb technological potential not even foreseen by the most daring science fiction writers. Organizations embraced furiously this technological overdose aiming to improve their internal and external communicational performance and processes control. In this pseudofuturistic environment, managers have been challenged to achieve excellence in organizational issues. In the late eighties of the past century, the first organizations were ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) certified. A few years later environmental (ISO 14001) and Occupational Health and Safety (OHSAS 18001) certifications were achieved by organizations founding themselves with several management sub-systems implemented. Time proved that co-existing management sub-systems with no strings attached between them was a poor path aiming newly developing concepts, namely, globalization, sustainability and stakeholderability. So, management systems integration emerged has the subsequent apparent logical step on organizational development. The lack of an international standard ruling the implementation of an integrated management system (IMS) challenge responsible proceeding on their own experiences awakening academic curiosity. In fact, currently, management systems integration is a promising and developing open issue among academic community. In this paper it is intended to report the partial results of an ongoing project aiming the development of a maturity and efficiency assessment tool focusing integrated management systems. Based on a survey, the Portuguese context regarding organizations with an integrated management system will be unveiled. Some conclusions, based on available results, relate with the role-play by OHS management systems in an integrated environment.