Organizational prerequisites for the implementation of systematic health, environment and safety work in enterprises

The Norwegian internal control (IC) regulation, which was set into force in 1992, has received attention because preventive health and safety systems have become mandatory for every enterprise, regardless of size and business . Enterprises are expected to implement proper systematic actions to ensure that the enterprise operates in accordance with requirements specified in laws and regulations in the health, environment and safety (HES)(1) domain. The present study was conducted in order to find out what organizational f actors are feasible in predicting success in managing systematic HES work. The study focuses on enterprises' experiences in their efforts to implement IC of HES. The results showed that 45% of the companies in Norway had impl emented IC 4 years after the onset of the regulation. A total of 36% were u nder way, while 19% had not started yet. In 1993 the corresponding figures were 8%, 25% and 67%, respectively. Available internal HES competency with professional training was the strongest predictor for success in managing s ystematic HES work. Thereafter followed factors like external push and pull factors (customers, labor inspection and business partners). Time elapsed since implementation of the regulation was also of importance. (C) 1998 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.