Naming convention: OHSMS or OHSAS

x-files

Involved In Discussions
Hi,

I have a very simple question, regarding a naming convention about management systems that we integrated in our IMS:

Now we call and write down them like this, where necessary:
1. QMS (Quality Management System)
2. EMS (Environmental Management System)
3. EnMS (Energy Management System)
4. OHSMS (Occupational Health & Safety Management System)

The question is should we say (write down) OHSMS or OHSAS? At the other place, of course, we've the stated about related standards we adopted: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, OHSAS 18001.



Best Regards,
Vladimir
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Call anything, anything you want. As long as you know what everything is, it's really nobody elses business to say you're wrong
 

insect warfare

QA=Question Authority
Trusted Information Resource
Hi,

I have a very simple question, regarding a naming convention about management systems that we integrated in our IMS:

Now we call and write down them like this, where necessary:
1. QMS (Quality Management System)
2. EMS (Environmental Management System)
3. EnMS (Energy Management System)
4. OHSMS (Occupational Health & Safety Management System)

The question is should we say (write down) OHSMS or OHSAS? At the other place, of course, we've the stated about related standards we adopted: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, OHSAS 18001.



Best Regards,
Vladimir

Well, it would be a bit daffy to abbreviate your own H&S management system as OHSAS, since it already stands for "Occupational Health And Safety Assessment Series" and is prominently shown on the cover page of the 18001 standard. However (as Randy said) it is really up to you, as long as the people in your organization understand what it means.

Brian :rolleyes:
 

x-files

Involved In Discussions
Well, it would be a bit daffy to abbreviate your own H&S management system as OHSAS, since it already stands for "Occupational Health And Safety Assessment Series" and is prominently shown on the cover page of the 18001 standard. However (as Randy said) it is really up to you, as long as the people in your organization understand what it means.

Brian :rolleyes:

Our outsourced internal auditor, while reviewing the existing documentation said that the term OHSMS is unfamiliar to him, although we clearly stated what OHSMS is, we know what it is and its fine to us. He expected to see OHSAS.

I thought that QMS is the generally accepted and applicable abbreviation for *any* Quality Management System, and so on for EMS, EnMS and OHSMS... and that was the logic we followed: the QMS we implemented is ISO 9001, and so on, and so on, and OHSMS we implemented is OHSAS 18001

For example, we use QMS, EMS, EnMS, OHSMS abbreviations in one specific column of table, to arrange aspects, impacts and risks related to the specific management system, because of making adequate decisions (plans, goals, targets, objectives).

(sorry for bad English)


Best regards,
Vladimir
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Our outsourced internal auditor, while reviewing the existing documentation said that the term OHSMS is unfamiliar to him, although we clearly stated what OHSMS is, we know what it is and its fine to us. He expected to see OHSAS.

I thought that QMS is the generally accepted and applicable abbreviation for *any* Quality Management System, and so on for EMS, EnMS and OHSMS... and that was the logic we followed: the QMS we implemented is ISO 9001, and so on, and so on, and OHSMS we implemented is OHSAS 18001

For example, we use QMS, EMS, EnMS, OHSMS abbreviations in one specific column of table, to arrange aspects, impacts and risks related to the specific management system, because of making adequate decisions (plans, goals, targets, objectives).

(sorry for bad English)


Best regards,
Vladimir

I would suggest another outsourced auditor. What if you had called it "TWWDSS" (The Way We Do Safety Stuff)?

It's the auditors job to understand and get familiar
 

Colin

Quite Involved in Discussions
Good decision! If you are paying an outsourced auditor to review your system and practices and s/he is worried about what name you call it, I worry about the depth of findings that s/he will come up with. I wouldn't mind betting that there are lots of references to controlling records and documents. :)
 

x-files

Involved In Discussions
Good decision! If you are paying an outsourced auditor to review your system and practices and s/he is worried about what name you call it, I worry about the depth of findings that s/he will come up with. I wouldn't mind betting that there are lots of references to controlling records and documents. :)
Your assumption is 100% correct! Right in the center! I hesitated to say it myself! We never reach the key performance indicators, we never talk about contents of our documentation and real improvements to it, we never improve the IMS to serve to us... Most of the findings in any process are about controlling records and documents.

We are spending too much time and effort after the audits, in corrections that are not relevant to a process itself.

Best regards,
Vladimir
 

Henria

OSH Officer
Hello X-files !

I propose you call your "X, Y and/or Z management system" as "my X, Y and/or Z management system"...

Best regards.

PS : "OHSMS" (or OSHMS) is an common acronym for "occupational health and safety management system ; "OHSAS" is a part of the reference of the OSHMS british standard called "BS OHSAS 18001".
 
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