A comparative survey on the certification effect of Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Abstract

This study examines the effects of implementing an Occupational Health and SafetyManagement System (OHSMS) and obtaining OHSMS certification. Insofar as the previousresearch on OHSMS certification has been largely based on surveys of certifiedcompanies only, the effect of implementing an OHSMS and the effect of obtainingOHSMS certification have generally been confounded. In this study, we investigateboth companies that have implemented an OHSMS with certification and companies thathave implemented an OHSMS without certification in order to comparetheir Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) performance. In addition, whileprevious studies capture the effects of an OHSMS discretely, this study identifiesinterrelated effects based on the proposed causal model. Results of the studyshow that companies that have sought and received OHSMS certification realize greaterbenefits in a variety of areas, including a reduction in the risk ofcompensation for damage, improvements in operational performance, and enhancedcompany sustainability, as compared to non-certified companies. Suchclarification of the differences between certified companies and non-certifiedcompanies should encourage more companies to pursue OHSMS certification.