The synergism between the Occupational Health and Safety Management and Environmental Management - A case study

Although presenting different performances, Environmental Management and Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM) have common and interrelated elements that must be combined to improve the overall process effectiveness, allowing a decision make that preserves the environment, health and worker safety. The possibility of simultaneous association and coordinated action between these two management purposes is called synergism, whose ultimate goal is that the combined performance (each management purpose) is greater than both acting singly. This paper presents a scientific investigation on a construction company aiming at identifying how it is treated the synergism between the OHS Management and Environmental Management. As a technique of data collection was used the interview and documental research. The interview was standardized type, ie, was used a previously established routine, where the questions asked of respondents were prepared based in the items of Chapter 4 of ISO 14001 (requirements of the Environmental Management System) and in the items present in the same chapter of OHSAS 18001 (Element Management System Occupational Health and Safety) in order to identify the commonalities between the Environmental Management and OHS Management. The documental research aimed to verify the accuracy of answers during the interview. By analyzing the synergy between the Environmental Management and OHS management in selected company, it was come to the conclusion that it is neutral type, ie, purposes of OHS and environment managements do not interact with each other, acting separately. In this scenario, the performance scope of management purposes becomes limited, not being established a cause-effect relationship between them. Finally, managers of this company still need to be aware of the synergy between OHS management and Environmental Management and benefits arising from management of these purposes simultaneously and coordinated.