Occupational Health and Safety management (OSH) reduces the risk of accidents, promotes worker health and satisfaction and improves operational results and the image of organizations, especially those in the industrial sector. The main objective of this paper is to identify best practices and the main difficulties related to OSH management at automobile battery manufacturers in the midwest of the State of São Paulo, using the double case study method. Data was collected using on-site observation, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with managers and collaborators. The study revealed that support by top management, Human Resources and the active participation of collaborators are determining factors for the system's success and that the main difficulties in its management are failures in communication, nonexistence of OSH indicators and the lack of a strategic vision for safety.
Safety and occupational health; Management systems; Automotive batteries; Management practices
