In 2023, the merger of OCS and Atalian Servest brought together two established international businesses into a unified organisation with a shared vision: to deliver exceptional facilities services grounded in the highest standards of quality, health, safety, and environmental (QHSE) management.
With operations spanning multiple continents, a key priority following the merger was the consolidation of safety management systems across all regions. As Mark Incledion, OCS Group Chief QHSE Officer, explains, “We needed to create a single, unified approach—an operating rhythm that every colleague, in every country, could understand and follow.”
To overcome regional differences in culture, legislation, and operational practices, the business implemented a Global QHSE standard and selected one trusted global audit partner to help establish consistent compliance and performance expectations across the group. This decision has enabled OCS to eliminate variability and establish a single standard for QHSE that applies uniformly across every site, function, and geography.
Setting the Standard
The unified QHSE management system introduces a consistent framework for all aspects of operational risk and quality management. From leadership accountability to risk assessments, the new standards are designed not just to comply with local laws but to exceed them, supporting a culture of prevention and continuous improvement.
We have outlined 16 standards that will be implemented across regions. These standards can be summarised by these objectives:
Leadership: Leaders must model safe behaviours and visibly endorse QHSE practices to embed a safety-first mindset across teams.
Risk Management: Risks linked to processes, locations, or tasks are assessed, and practical controls are put in place to reduce them to acceptable levels.
Chemical, Waste & Water Management: These programmes ensure hazardous substances are used, stored, and disposed of responsibly, in line with best practice and environmental compliance.
Audit & Inspection: Systematic inspection and internal audits reinforce accountability and track performance across operations.
High-Hazard Operations: Activities with elevated risks, such as working at heights or operating heavy machinery, are governed by robust protocols to protect employees.
Incident Reporting & Ergonomics: Standardised procedures promote accurate reporting and workplace design that prevent injuries from poor manual handling or repetitive strain.
Training & Occupational Health: From onboarding through to continuous professional development, training supports capability, awareness, and wellbeing.
Change & Contractor Management: Any organisational or project changes are risk-assessed, and all contractors must meet OCS’s QHSE standards.
Environmental Protection & Energy Management: Sustainability is embedded into daily operations, including energy use, emissions, and resource management.
Building Global Capability
Implementing a global system is a complex task, especially across diverse regions such as Asia Pacific and the Middle East (APACME). OCS is undertaking a twelve-month training programme to roll out the new QHSE MS to all employees, with materials translated into local languages to ensure accessibility and understanding.
One of the key enablers of this programme is the STOP Model, a behavioural safety framework that focuses on dynamic risk assessment. At its core, the STOP model empowers all employees to:
Stop and reflect before starting a task.
Think about the potential hazards.
Observe the task and apply the necessary controls.
Prevent harm by taking appropriate action or stopping work if safety cannot be assured.
This approach shifts the responsibility for safety from top-down control to empowered, informed action at every level of the organisation.
During Resilience Week, we highlight this message: safety always comes first. Communications will reinforce that working safely and reporting hazards and incidents is not just accepted—it’s essential. Colleagues must feel confident to work safely and that raising safety concerns will not result in punitive action but will be met with support and action.
A Safer, Stronger Future
The merger has provided an opportunity to harmonise QHSE practices and raise the bar globally. As the new systems embed across the business, they will not only improve operational performance—they will also protect people, enhance wellbeing, and drive a culture of accountability and care.
“For OCS, safety is not a document or a system. It’s how we work,” says Incledion. “We’re building a QHSE culture where people do the right thing—because they understand why it matters.”
