Integrating the safety dimension into quality management systems: a process model

Many practitioners advocate that achieving quality and safety performance can help organizations foster a competitive edge. This is attributable to the minimization of financial loss, compliance with legislation, effective allocation of quality and safety responsibilities, and promotion of community goodwill. This paper discusses the factors affecting safety-quality integration in quality management systems. It also compares the compliance requirements of OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management standard with that of ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental) management standards. Incorporating the empirical findings from a recent study in Hong Kong, the paper examines the hypothesized links among company size, safety/quality awareness and interrelationship of various factors affecting safety/quality management practices. Finally, a process model of safety-focused quality management (SQM) is proposed along with an implementation guideline. The model is generic in nature and can be applied and modified to suit organizations of different business nature, sizes and locations.