Status of occupational health elements in occupational safety and health management systems in Japan

In order to investigate the status of occupational health elements in occupational safety and health management systems (OSHMSs) in Japan, and the reasons why they are often conducted outside OSHMSs, a questionnaire was sent to all listed company sites that had been certified as following the guidelines on OSHMS of either Japanese Ministry of Health and Labor by Japanese Industrial Safety and Health Association or those of the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 as of October 2004. Although comprehensive occupational health services were provided, the rates at which they were operated within an OSHMS were quite different between programs for technical or resource reasons. We concluded that it is necessary to develop a model system in which safety and health programs are well balanced, and to train OH professionals including professional occupational physicians who can play significant roles in OSHMSs in Japan.