Integrated management system (IMS) documents: a list of 10

An integrated management system (IMS) brings your quality, environmental and safety management into one set of processes and documents. The core documents are an IMS manual, a policy, a register of risks, procedures for controlling documents and audits, training records, emergency plans and management review reports. Set up well, one document set can support ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 at the same time.

This guide lists the ten documents most organisations need, explains what each one does, and shows how they fit together for a small business.

What an IMS is

An IMS puts separate management systems under one structure. The three most common are:

• AS/NZS ISO 9001:2016 for quality management
• AS/NZS ISO 14001:2016 for environmental management
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 for occupational health and safety management, which replaced AS/NZS 4801

Running them separately means separate manuals, separate audits and often two versions of the same procedure. An IMS lets you use one set of documents, one audit programme and one management review, while still meeting each standard's requirements.

Our guides to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001:2018 cover each standard in more detail.

The 10 IMS documents

Some businesses add a hazard and incident register, a chemical register or a contractor management procedure, depending on their work. The ten above are the core set.

Mapping the standards to your documents

Auditors check each clause of the standards, so it helps to show where each one is covered. A simple map does this. For each clause, record the document that covers it and the record that proves it's working:

• Context and scope (all three standards): the IMS manual and the scope statement
• Leadership and policy (all three): the integrated policy and the management review report
• Planning and risk (all three): the risk register, which covers quality, environmental and safety risks in one list
• Operation and controls (all three): the SOPs, emergency plan and training plan
• Performance evaluation (all three): the internal audit schedule and the management review
• Improvement (all three): the nonconformance and corrective action reports

Keep the map in the manual, and update it when a document changes. It saves time at audit, because the auditor can see the whole system from one page.

An example: a small builder

A builder with twelve staff and a few subcontractors might set up an IMS like this:

• One manual that describes the system and links each clause of the three standards to the document that covers it.
• One integrated policy, signed by the director, covering quality, environment and safety.
• A risk register listing the risks of each job type, such as working at heights, excavation and waste handling, with the controls for each.
• SWMS and SOPs for the high-risk tasks, reviewed on a set schedule.
• A training matrix showing which licences and inductions each worker needs.
• A quarterly internal audit, using the same checklist for all three standards.
• An annual management review where the director goes through audit results, incidents, customer complaints and progress on objectives.

The same documents then serve a client audit, a regulator's question and a tender. You don't need three sets of paperwork to show you're in control.

How to start

1. Decide the scope. Confirm which standards you're working towards, and which sites, jobs or products they cover.
2. Map what you already have. Many businesses have most of the documents already, but in different places. List them against the ten above.
3. Write one manual. Make it short, and point to the procedures rather than repeating them.
4. Fill the gaps. Start with the documents your highest risks depend on, such as the risk register, the emergency plan and the SOPs for high-risk work.
5. Test it. Run an internal audit before any external one, and fix what doesn't work.
6. Keep it current. Review documents when processes change, after an incident, and at the management review.

Templates to start from

Our library has IMS manuals and templates for a range of industries, which you can adapt to your business. Start with the ISO 45001, 14001 and 9001 integrated management system template, the IMS manual and the management review meeting report. The competency, training and awareness plan covers document 6, and the emergency response plan covers document 9.

The standards themselves are available from Standards Australia. Buy the standard for the wording you need to meet, and use the templates as a starting structure rather than a substitute for it.

Common questions

What documents does an IMS need? The core set is an IMS manual, an integrated policy, a document control procedure, a risk register, SOPs, a training plan, an internal audit procedure, a nonconformance report, an emergency plan and a management review report. The exact list depends on your scope and the standards you're working to.

Do I have to get certified to ISO standards? No. You can run an IMS without certification. Certification is a choice, usually made to win work or meet a client's requirement. If you do certify, an accredited certification body audits you against the standard.

Can one manual cover all three standards? Yes. Most businesses write one manual that maps each clause of the standards to the documents that cover it, so the system is easy to audit.

Is an IMS a legal requirement? No. The WHS laws require you to manage risks and keep workers safe, but they don't require an IMS. An IMS is a practical way to meet those duties alongside your quality and environmental obligations.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current law with your WHS regulator.