by Shane Henson — October 3, 2012—Facilities managers wanting to gain a better understanding of the best practices associated with occupational safety and health to protect themselves and their employees will find practical guidelines in the newly revised ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z10-2012 American National Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). This standard, available through the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), provides an overall blueprint for widespread benefits in occupational safety and health, as well as in productivity, financial performance, quality and other organizational and business objectives.
The topics covered in the Z-10-2012 standard’s seven sections include management leadership and employee participation, planning, implementation and operation, evaluation and corrective action, and management review. Appendices also cover roles and responsibilities, policy statements, assessment and prioritization, audit information and more. The standard defines minimum requirements for an occupational safety and health management system, and applies to organizations of all sizes and types. It also includes risk assessment components not previously included, says ASSE.
“This standard provides critical management system requirements and guidelines for improvement of occupational safety and health,” said ASSE Standards Development Committee Chair Gary Lopez. “Experts from labor, government, professional organizations and industry formulated this significant standard after extensive examination of current national and international standards, guidelines and practices. From large to small businesses, this standard provides a simple blueprint for creating safer workplaces while contributing positively to the bottom line through reduced health care and workers’ compensation costs, production delays and more.”
Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, Illinois-based ASSE is the nation’s oldest professional safety society. Its more than 34,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members are committed to protecting people, property and the environment.
