Health and Safety Management System in the National Institute of Statistics (Istat)

Abstract

Istat is one of the few public institutions that have initiated the implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) since 2018 in order to ensure the Prevention and Protection Measures application. In 2018, Istat achieved the British Standard OHSAS 18001 certification and later, in 2021, UNI ISO 45001:2018 was confirmed and updated. Organisational and management measures are the basis for defining the prevention and protection system. The evolution of health and safety organisation required designated figures and specific measures despite challenges such as changes in managers, transfers and organisational complexity. The goals and the policies focus on worker protection, ethical principles, the OHSMS adoption and the Fire Safety Management System development. These processes assign internal responsibilities, encouraging employee participation in the continuous improvement through the Workers' Representatives for Safety and the Employer. OHSMS has led to the improvement in working conditions and to a safety culture growth. Many procedures have been implemented such as hazard identification, legal requirements, goals and improvement programmes, training management, information and communication, non-conformity management, health surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, internal audits and management review. Operational instructions are provided for activities such as video terminals usage, manual loads handling, electrical risk, personal protective equipment management, interference risk management, building and plant maintenance and instrumental resource management. All the procedures are applicable to all the Institute Roman offices. Later, OHSMS has been extended to regional offices. This work describes the adoption of the OHSMS model as per Legislative Decree 81/08, in the complex reality of a public research institution as Istat. This adoption is a best practice to promote the continuous improvement in workers’ health and safety protection.