Books, handbooks and scientific publications.

Summary

Occupational safety and health board (OSH board) and joint decision making on OSH in business organizations are regulated by international legal regulations, in the conventions of the International Labour Organization and the European Union directives. In Croatia and Serbia the legal obligations of the organization and work of the OSH board in business organizations are regulated in fundamental OSH Law.

Results led to new insights on the issues of the organization and work of the OSH board in business organizations in Croatia as well as its function in the management of occupational safety and improvement of the safety at work.

The empirical study used scientific methods: surveys to collect original data and statistical methods for data processing and analysis.

OSH board positively contributes to the improvement of safety at work in the business organization through all the prescribed measures: Planning application of the safety rules, planning and supervising informing of OSH management policies to prevent injuries and occupational diseases, monitoring of application protection rules at work, planning and supervising the education of occupational safety and health, encouraging continuous improvement of OSH and participation in risk assessment.

There is a positive correlation between the work of the OSH board and financial investment of the employer in the safety. More frequent sessions of the OSH board often increase the financial investment in the employer's occupational health and safety in the business organization.

A positive correlation exists between the work of the OSH board and OSH in the business organization. More frequent sessions of the OSH board result with higher grade of OSH in the business organization (measured by the number of injuries and occupational diseases, including their severity).

Safety expert employed in a business organization is a mandatory member of the OSH board and gives key contribution to its work.

Safety experts employed by business organizations in Croatia support the following proposals for improving the work of the OSH board in business organization: the penalty provisions in the OSH Law for no establishment and irregular work of the OSH board, mandatory involvement of labor inspectors to meetings of the OSH board at least once a year, the possibility that safety experts as an authorized persons can be members of the OSH board in business organizations that do not employ safety experts; mandatory adoption of multi-year strategic plan for OSH in business organization, mandatory adoption of the annual operating and financial plan for the OSH in business organization.

OSH board plays a key role in the management of safety in the business organization. He contributes to the improvement of safety and therefore, as an advisory body, has a key role in the overall safety management with the aim of continuous improvement of the safety at work.

Because of the importance and role of the OSH board as a prerequisite for the successful safety management it is important to constantly increase legal, professional and scientific level for developing methods of work of the OSH board. Special emphasis should be placed on continuous education of all members of the OSH board and not only in safety but as well in management.

Key words

management, OSH board, business organization, safety expert, occupational health and safety