Abstract

Managing occupational health and safety (OH&S) hazards and risk has traditionally been driven by governmental regulations, often referred to as command-and-control approaches. Over time, and with advances in organizational science, nonregulatory approaches for OH&S management have proliferated. This is seen in nongovernmental consensus standards, as well as innovative approaches developed by professional organizations and companies. A theme in these newer approaches is the application of system-based principles and methods to OH&S management. This is observed with the evolution of formal OH&S management system (OHSMS) standards and guidelines.