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On July 25, 2005, ANSI approved a new standard titled Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). Its designation was ANSI/AIHA Z10-2005. That was a major development. For the first time in the U.S., a national consensus standard was issued for a v safety and health management system applicable to organizations of all sizes and types.
Per ANSI requirements, standards are reviewed every 5 years to be revised or reaffirmed. AIHA, then-secretariat, formed a committee to review Z10. The outcome of its work was a revised standard approved on June 27, 2012. Its designation was ANSI/AIHA Z10-2012. Shortly after approval, secretariat was transferred to ASSE.
All persons who give counsel on occupational safety and health management systems should own a copy of this standard and be thoroughly familiar with its content. The 2012 version reflects significant changes and contains valuable support information in the advisory column and the appendixes.
The standard provides senior management with a well-conceived concept and action outline for a safety and health management system. As employers make changes to meet the standard's requirements, it can be expected that occupational injuries and illnesses will be reduced.
To identify differences and to develop a prioritized improvement plan, SH&E professionals should conduct a gap analysis to compare the elements in existing safety programs, processes or systems with the requirements in Z10. That comparison should be followed by a prioritized action plan for continual improvement.
Participation: Consensus
More than 40 safety professionals served on the committee that crafted the 2012 version of Z10. They represented industry, labor, government, business associations, professional organizations, academe and persons of interest.
The Z10 committee adhered strictly to the due diligence requirements applicable to development of an ANSI standard. A balance of stakeholders provided input and open discussion, which resulted in the group vetting each issue that was raised to an agreed-upon conclusion.
In crafting the current version of Z10, the intent was to present management system requirements that when effectively implemented would not only achieve significant safety and health benefits, but also have a favorable effect on productivity, financial performance, quality and other business goals. The standard is built on the well-known plan-do-check-act (PDCA) process for continual improvement.
Many companies have issued safety policy statements in which they indicate...