"Good practice in health, environment and safety (HES) management in enterprises was one of the leading topics considered at the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health held in London from 16 to 18 June 1999. Occupational health services play an important role in achieving good practice in HES management in enterprises. Quality management in these services is, therefore, of great importance.
The changing nature of working life and reorientation of occupational health services (OHS) towards multidisciplinary, competitive, effect-oriented teams, which in many countries operate on a commercial basis in competition with other similar service providers, requires the development and implementation of effective tools for high quality service management. The main purpose of international guidelines is to encourage and facilitate implementation of quality management in OHS or in enterprises that have not yet adopted this approach.
A second objective is to support further harmonization of occupational health practice internationally so as to minimize inequity in health of workers and to avoid social exclusion. Implementation of quality management will facilitate occupational health impact assessment and will increase efficiency and utility value of OHS. Quality management in OHS and in enterprises will introduce processes and encourage participation of all partners essential in the development of good occupational and environmental health practice at enterprise, local and national level. The involvement of the social partners and technical experts in quality management should underpin quality initiatives. The adoption of similar procedures and terminology across Europe will help to facilitate international cooperation and the development of European occupational health information systems."

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