It is a difficult task to avoid the “smart systems” topic when discussing smart prevention and,
similarly, it is a difficult task to address smart systems without focusing their ability to learn.
Following the same line of thought, in the current reality, it seems a Herculean task (or an
irreparable omission) to approach the topic of certified occupational health and safety
management systems (OHSMS) without discussing the integrated management systems
(IMSs). The available data suggest that seldom are the OHSMS operating as the single
management system (MS) in a company so, any statement concerning OHSMS should mainly
be interpreted from an integrated perspective. A major distinction between generic systems can
be drawn between those that learn, i.e., those systems that have “memory” and those that have
not. These former systems are often depicted as adaptive since they take into account past
events to deal with novel, similar and future events modifying their structure to enable success
in its environment. Often, these systems, present a nonlinear behavior and a huge uncertainty
related to the forecasting of some events. This paper seeks to portray, for the first time as we
were able to find out, the IMSs as complex adaptive systems (CASs) by listing their properties
and dissecting the features that enable them to evolve and self-organize in order to, holistically,
fulfil the requirements from different stakeholders and thus thrive by assuring the successful
sustainability of a company. Based on the revision of literature carried out, this is the first time
that IMSs are pointed out as CASs which may develop fruitful synergies both for the MSs and
for CASs communities. By performing a thorough revision of literature and based on some
concepts embedded in the “DNA” of the subsystems implementation standards it is intended,
specifically, to identify, determine and discuss the properties of a generic IMS that should be
considered to classify it as a CAS
