Effectiveness of occupational health and safety management systems: a systematic review

Reasons for the study

Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) have developed considerably over the last 20 years, yet little is known about their effectiveness. The systematic review aimed to answer these questions: What is the relative effectiveness of mandatory and voluntary OHSMSs on employee health and safety and on associated economic outcomes? What facilitators and barriers are there to the adoption and the effectiveness of OHSMSs? What is the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of OHSMSs?

Progress

This systematic review, completed in 2005, concluded that there was insufficient evidence in the published, peer-reviewed literature on the effectiveness of occupational health and safety management systems to make recommendations either for or against them.