Evaluation of Health, Safety and Environment status using SWOT matrix to provide continuous improvement strategies: A case study in municipality of Qazvin

AbstractBackground and aims: According to the identification of more than one hundred types of jobs in the municipalities, evaluation of adverse factors that each job face with them isn’t possible without systematic model of identifying hazards. In this study, weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to the health, safety and environment (HSE) management was introduced. Based on the results obtained, the HSE situation in Qazvin municipality (12 units) was evaluated.Materials and methods: Two tables concerning internal and external factors are used in the SWOT analysis. The sum of scores in both tables is in the range of 1 to 4, and the status is appraised as positive when the score is higher than 2.5. All necessary arrangements made well in advance. Ethical issues were also all considered in all stages of research.Results: The scores obtained in the evaluation of internal and external factors were often less than 2.5. The mean scores of internal and external factors evaluation were 2.37 and 2.42, respectively. The highest score in internal factors was 2.95 belonging to Qazvin municipality's parks and green spaces. Also, the highest score of external factors was 3.1 belonging to the organization of transport and traffic administration of Qazvin municipality.Conclusion: The HSE situation in half of Qazvin municipality's units was considered undesirable based on SWOT matrix (district 4); and therefore, they should adopt defensive strategies to improve their HSE status. Other organizations were in the shift (2 units) or diversification (4 units) strategies. The results ofpresent study revealed that SWOT analysis can be used as an effective management tool to determine thestatus and management of HSE as well as continuous improvement strategies.Keywords: HSE, Strategic management, External factors, Internal factors, SWOT matrix, Qazvin municipalityFor downloading the full text please click her