An assessment of the OHSAS 18001 certification process: Objective drivers and consequences on safety performance and labour productivity

•We examine the OHSAS 18001-safety performance relationship using objective measures.•We provide evidence on the returns to safety experience linked to the OHSAS 18001.•The adoption of the OHSAS 18001 is strongly explained by objective safety variables.•Accident rates and labour productivity improve after the adoption of the OHSAS 18001.•The OHSAS 18001 is a strategic tool that helps achieve safety and operating outcomes.

In this paper we examine the connection between the adoption of the OHSAS 18001 standard and performance from a comprehensive perspective. We first examine the adoption of the OHSAS 18001 as a function of objective safety metrics related to work accidents. Second, we evaluate the effect of this safety standard on safety performance and labour productivity, paying special attention to the returns to certified safety experience. For the empirical application we use a unique dataset of 149 Spanish firms for the period 2006–2009. The results reveal that objective safety variables explain the probability to adopt the OHSAS 18001; and that performance improvements follow the adoption of this safety system. In addition, the empirical findings tend to give ammunition to the argument that safety systems are worthwhile investments with strategic implications, as the experience on safety management may become a critical tool that can significantly improve safety and operating performance.