Functions and Positions of Corporate Occupational Health Managers in Company-wide Occupational Health Management —An Interview Study with the Corporate Occupational Health Managers—

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  • Mori Koji
    Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan
  • Nagata Tomohisa
    Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan
  • Kajiki Shigeyuki
    Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan
  • Hino Yoshiyuki
    HINO Occupational Health Consultant Office, Japan
  • Nagata Masako
    Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 企業全体で産業保健を展開するための統括産業医の機能と位置づけ
  • 企業全体で産業保健を展開するための統括産業医の機能と位置づけ : 統括産業医に対するインタビュー調査
  • キギョウ ゼンタイ デ サンギョウ ホケン オ テンカイ スル タメ ノ トウカツ サンギョウイ ノ キノウ ト イチズケ : トウカツ サンギョウイ ニ タイスル インタビュー チョウサ
  • ─統括産業医に対するインタビュー調査─

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Objectives: It has become necessary for Japanese corporations to manage occupational health (OH) programs consistently throughout their organizations. Corporations need to clarify their health policies, develop standardized programs, assign OH staff, and ensure that they communicate with each other. To realize such conditions, many occupational physicians (OPs), who have the skills to lead corporation-wide OH activities, are now being assigned to head offices of corporations and referred to as corporate OH managers. However, there has been no research to date in Japan on their actual situation and function. We conducted an interview study of corporate OH managers to clarify their functions and positions in corporations. Subjects and Methods: We conducted semi-structural interviews with 14 corporate OH managers in large corporations employing more than 5,000 workers and multiple OPs. Interview scripts were coded to identify their functions as corporate OH managers and the context of their positions within corporate-wide OH management systems. Results: Five contexts were suggested. 1) Corporate OH managers played central roles in developing corporate health policies, standards and plans. 2) Head office department managers who supervised the sites distributed the policies and standards, and corporate OH managers instructed site OPs and OH staff. 3) In some corporations, corporate OH managers participated in the evaluation process of OH programs as part of occupational safety and health management systems or business audits. 4) Corporate OH managers led communications among OPs and OH staff by facilitating corporate OH meetings, and provided technical training. 5) Corporate OH managers in positions that enabled them to report directly or indirectly to decision makers (i.e., directors in charge) on human resource issues. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that companies that promote consistent company-wide OH programs also utilized the professional knowledge of OH managers as well as their decision-making skills and direction processes. They also suggest that these companies play significant roles in securing qualified OH professionals and reaching a common understanding of corporate OH systems. It is necessary to study cases of corporate OH managers to clarify their essential competences and to develop appropriate training programs.

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