All OHS Management System standards require that relevant documentation of OHS policies, procedures, and processes be maintained in a document management system. In order for an OHS professional to act as an effective resource for an organization, they must demonstrate the ability to competently review documentation, develop documentation, provide recommendations for changes that are appropriate to the organization’s context, and maintain the document management system. Depending on the document management system in place, this may require a variety of computer-use or file-management competencies, or both. In addition to understanding how to store documents, the OHS professional should demonstrate familiarity with relevant legislation dictating what types of documentation are required, in addition to best-practice OHS standards, such as CSA or ISO standards.

An OHS professional should be familiar with and competent in the use of systems for managing and reporting OHS information. Competently navigating OHS information systems includes:

– Locating sources of OHS information (internal and external)
– Understanding workplace requirements for OHS information
– Meeting external agencies’ reporting requirements
– Meeting documentation requirements (organizational and external)
– Using and implementing systems for managing OHS information
– Collecting data through research, investigation, interview and observation