by Brianna Crandall — November 6, 2019 — Safety and health management systems are innovative tools essential in creating safe and healthy work environments across all industries worldwide, reminds the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). They set an operational foundation by ensuring that critical processes are integrated, which helps organizations reduce injuries, save lives and maximize financial performance. The revised ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 standard that guides implementation of occupational safety and health management systems is now available from the global organization after recently being approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Jim Howe, CSP, chair of ASSP’s Z10 committee, stated:
This update establishes Z10 as one of the most comprehensive systems-based standards in the world for occupational safety and health management. The standard is a blueprint for any company to develop and administer a safety and health management system.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 5,000 workplace fatalities occur in the US each year. Another 2.8 million workers sustain nonfatal injuries and illnesses.
Howe pointed out:
Occupational safety and health management systems play a vital role in helping companies improve their safety performance and reach the next level of success.
ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 improves organizational alignment and communication by eliminating silos and integrating planned processes into business systems, says ASSP. Safety and health management systems have customized elements that are based on the organization’s characteristics such as hazard exposures, risk levels, industry type and business processes.
Workforce factors such as permanent, temporary, contracted or transient employees are also considered. Safe work environments emerge from the interaction of elements such as organizational leadership, employee engagement, risk assessments, hazard controls and monitoring and measurement.
ASSP President Diana Stegall, CSP, CFPS, ARM, SMS, CPCU, remarked:
There are widespread benefits when a business makes occupational safety and health a priority. Quality and productivity flourish when workers are well-protected through a systems-based approach. It also helps organizations achieve sustainable growth and meet social responsibilities.
A safety management systems track will be available at ASSP’s SafetyFOCUS immersive education event set for February 13-20, 2020, in Las Vegas. Full-day courses will highlight systems-based thinking and the implementation of the revised Z10 standard.
SafetyFOCUS attendees can learn about integrating Z10 elements with other applicable management systems such as ISO 9001, 14000 and 45001 as well as with voluntary protection programs and “Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs” from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
ANSI/ASSP Z10.0 – 2019 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems is available to purchase from the ASSP website. More information on the updated standard is available in Episode 19 of ASSP’s Safety Standards and Tech Pubs Podcast, where Z10 committee member Amy Timmerman discusses the key developments.
