OSH management systems
OSH management systems are an effective means of improving occupational safety and health.
They offer enterprises a way of enhancing their organisation of the planning, performance and monitoring of the OSH measures required by the legislation.
These systems can help improve the quality of products and services and the environmental conditions at the workplace.
- "Eckpunkte zu Arbeitsschutzmanagementsystemen" (Guidelines on OSH Management Systems): published by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (which became the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour in October 2002) on 1 February 1999 - IIIb 2 36004 - in the "Bundesarbeitsblatt" (Federal Labour Gazette) 2/1999, p. 43ff. The guidelines describe the German concept of OSH management systems.
- The "Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin" (Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) website contains information on OSH management systems, including an extensive list of literature on the topic.
- On-line SME Risk Management Toolkit
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and VTT Industrial Systems have posted a practical "toolkit" for risk management in SMEs on the Internet. The kit includes comprehensive information, work cards and checklists. - "5 Bausteine für einen gut organisierten Betrieb - auch in Sachen Arbeitsschutz" (Five factors to ensure a well-organised workplace - including OSH matters) - a guide to organising in-company OSH measures, provided by the "Berufsgenossenschaftliche Zentrale für Sicherheit und Gesundheit" (BG Central Office for Health and Safety at Work, abbreviated to BGZ in German)
- OSH management in the trade: Pilot project REWE
It was a goal of the project of examining the applicability of the national manual for AMS in a trading venture.In the context of a national policy for the application of the ILO for AMS it is necessary to develop adapted manuals for different sectors. The commercial sector covers about 11 per cent of the gross domestic product in Germany
