New standard shows best practices for workplace safety, health

"Critical management system requirements and guidelines for improvement of occupational safety and health" are provided in a newly revised standard, according to Gary Lopez, chair of the American Society of Safety Engineers' Standards Development Committee.

ASSE announced it has the standard available following approval by the American National Standards Institute.

Called the ANZI Z10-2012 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Standard, or Z10 for short, it offers practical guidelines of best practices for occupational safety and health programs.

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"Z10 is the most important occupational health and safety standard in the United States because it establishes the requirements for an effective comprehensive management system," the ASSE said on its website."Often health and safety programs tend to be a collection of well-intentioned initiatives competing for management attention and necessary resources. Lacking a system to integrate activities, the organization continues fire fighting, chasing a never-ending stream of symptoms (injuries and illnesses) resulting from management system deficiencies."

Described as a "blueprint for widespread benefits in occupational safety and health," the standard offers a management system that ensures "that processes and business systems are integrated, mobilizing the organization for continuous improvement in health and safety." It includes management principles and systems to help organizations develop approaches to continuously improve their health and safety performance.

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

December 3, 2012

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