WHY A BUSINESS NEED AN OSH MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM ?

In business organisations, the basic difference between safety and

health management and other aspect of management is that it
generally does not seem to be part of organisation. People have a
variety of reasons and motivations to begin and continue their
business without proper consideration for safety and health. However,
a well managed and successful organisation normally have a better
safety and health performance and accident record. Therefore, the way
safety and health is managed can be used as a yardstick of an efficient
business.

Heinrich who is known as father of safety management considered

accident as partial failure of the safety management. According to the
DOMINO THEORY of accident causation model, Management lack of
control is the main element that contribute to the domino effect in the
event of an accident. Therefore preventing accident by proper

LACK OF BASIC IMMEDIATE

CONTROL CAUSES CAUSES INCIDENT LOSS
INADEQUATE PERSONAL
FACTOR
PROGRAM SUBSTANDARD CONTACT PEOPLE
ACTS WITH PROPERTY
PROGRAM JOB AND ENERGY PROCESS
STANDARD FACTOR CONDITIONS OR
SUBSTANCE
COMPLIANCE
TO
STANDARD

management of Safety and Health will also prevent failure of the

management in their duties.

The Management being the risk creator should be responsible to

control or prevent the risk or accident at work place by establishing
proper Safety and Health Program. To ensure an efficient and quality in
safety and health programs, a systematic way to manage them need
to be adopted by the management. Managing Safety and Health
Programs in a systematic approach means a proper system must be
followed. Any model of safety and health management system could
be used to manage OSH programs in the workplace, provided this
system is proven and practical in ensuring the delivery of a quality,
effective and successful safety and health programs.

The management should therefore be responsible to establish a good

OSH management system with the objective to provide the required
investment in terms of commitment -

In Piper Alpha Fire Tragedy, Lord Cullen stated in his report:-

“ The Safety Management System should set out the safety

objective…. the system by which these objectives are to be
achieved, and the performance standards which are to be met and
the means by which adherence to the standard is to be monitored “

The approach of Quality Management Model sometimes called

“Deming Model” or “PDCA” is a complete loop system. This will
ensure that the standard or quality will be achieved and the
effectiveness of the management system is well monitored and
improved continuously within the system.

PLAN

ACT DO

CHECK
OSH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MODEL
This Safety and Health Management System Model is also based on the
Quality Management model approach to ensure that the Safety and
Health program in the workplace could be improved further through
its continual improvement system.

OSHMANAGEMENT SYSTEMMODEL
Continual Improvement

Management OHS
Review Policy

Measurement
and Planning
Evaluation Implementation

.
The Safety and Health Management System model below are one of
the simple example of Safety and Health management model
adopted by successful organisation. This organisation emphasize
on the continual improvement of safety and health program in the
workplace to ensure that the safety and health of the workers will

Management Leadership / Commitment

MGMT
TOP

Policy & Strategic Objectives

FEEDBACK FOR IMPROVEMENT

MIDDLE

Organisation, resources, responsibility

MGMT

Standards, Documentation
SAFETY&HEALTH

Risk Management
PROFESSIONAL

Corrective
Plan & Procedures Action

Implementation Monitor

Audit Corrective Action & Improvement

Management Review Corrective Action & Improvement

be the priority in their business operations.

The main component that will moves this Safety and Health
Management System to be functional and effective is the
Commitment from the Top Management. The overall responsibility
to this systems lies on the shoulder of management team (both top
and middle Management team). They have to ensure that all other
components of the systems established in a systematic manner with a
proper planning and implementation.

They have to set the policy and objectives, employ resources, budget
allocations, get the correct team and monitor the programs. The
implementation of any program related to safety and health should be
based on this management system so that it can be monitor and
improved accordingly to ensure the safety and health of the workers is
maintained. Audit and inspection is the tool that can be used by the
management team to ensure the effectiveness and the quality of the
program introduced .
The professional groups in Safety and Health such as Safety and Health
Officer, Occupational Health Doctor and Nurses, Industrial Hygienist,
Toxicologist, etc. should be engaged by the management to assist
them in establishing Safety and Health programs. The implemented
programs should then be evaluated and improved.