Integrating OHS, environmental, and quality management standards.

A number of ideas, concepts and systems have emerged over the past 50 years, attempting to offer insights into improving the effectiveness of contemporary management. Many of these have become part of the management landscape. With the continuing publication of standards for (among others) quality, environment and safety management of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) offers efficiencies in management processes that are intuitively logical but on occasion, frustratingly illusive. The development of an IMS is sometimes carried out for the wrong reasons, and often with unforeseen consequences. The establishment of an IMS should not be taken lightly and should include lengthy design, considered consultation, flexible redesign, and staged implementation. However, once in place, an IMS offers the potential of a unifying approach for dealing with management systems.