Integrated Management Systems for Enhancing Project Quality, Safety and Environment

Abstract Over the last thirty years the construction industry has fully embedded quality management systems (QMS) within construction project management. In recent years, environmental regulation and health and safety legislation have introduced additional dedicated management requirements – environmental management systems (EMS) and health and safety management systems (H&SMS). It has been suggested that management systems, in particular those used for quality assurance, have been somewhat bureaucratic and of questionable value to construction project management. The need exists for enhanced systems that enable a contracting organisation to control the key management functions of quality, together with environment and safety with maximum effectiveness and minimum bureaucracy. The findings presented in this paper show that a reconfigured approach could bring together these individual and often separate functions within an Integrated Management System (IMS). The concept of IMS is now an emerging management approach within construction following the lead by manufacturing and UK contractors are already considering its application. This is supported by certification bodies who have introduced the integrated management system assessment or IMSA. A number of UK contracting organisations are at the forefront of both national and international IMS developments. Based on primary questionnaire and interview survey data from UK contracting organisations, this paper examines the purpose, characteristics, properties and development framework of a single system approach, or the IMS for quality, safety and environment, and considers its application by contracting organisations.