OHSAS 18001:2007 and ANSI/AIHA Z10-2012

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aims to ensure worker safety and health in the United States. OSHA enforces standards and encourages continual improvement in workplace safety and health. Workplace inspections are one of OSHA's principal activities. In a recent year:

• 40,961 federal inspections were performed
• 51,133 state inspections were performed
• Over 4,600 workers were killed
• 96,742 total federal violations were issued
• Inspections saved employers more than $350,000 over 5 years

Since 1970, workplace fatalities have been reduced by more than 65% and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67%. At the same time, U.S. employment has almost doubled.

What Can Your Company Do?

To help lower the risk of work place injuries and fatalities and to avoid costly penalties, your company can develop a documented Health and Safety Management System. The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) specifications have been developed in response to customer demand for a recognizable occupational health and safety management system standard against which management systems can be assessed. The series consists of the following standards:

• OHSAS 18001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems - Specification
• OHSAS 18002 – Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems - Guidelines for the Implementation of OHSAS 18001

OHSAS 18001 is compatible with ISO 9001:2008 (Quality) and ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental) management system standards and addresses occupational health and safety rather than product and services safety.

The OHSAS specification provides requirements for an occupational health and safety management system to enable an organization to:

• Better manage occupational health and safety risks
• Continually improve worker protection
• Create a corporate culture that values worker safety as much as production and profit

The series is applicable to any company in any industry that wants to take a pro-active approach to reduce health and safety risks and was designed to help companies develop occupational health and safety policies/objectives and to set performance-based criteria for a managed safety and health system.

Why Develop a Health & Safety Management System?

A documented health and safety management system can provide:

• A framework to identify health and safety issues and assess risk in the current workplace
• Methods to eliminate the identified issues and risks
• Methods to evaluate performance against set goals
• Promotion of effective worksite-based health and safety
• Improvement in overall company performance
• Increased practical health and safety knowledge and skills
• Empowerment of employees to take an active role in their own protection to enhance the quality of employee work life.

The system should address legal requirements, all employees (part time and full time), and workplace visitors.

What Benefits Can Be Realized?

The benefits of implementing an effective health and safety management system can include:

• Improving management commitment and employee involvement
• Providing ways to measure the effectiveness of a health and safety program
• Improving worker protection by eliminating serious hazards
• Reducing worker risk of death, injury and illness on the job
• Reducing workers' compensation rates and other costs, lowering absenteeism, and increasing productivity and morale
• Reducing damage to company property and costs associated with idle periods
• Helping keep turnover down and attract new employees
• Stimulating employees to continually improve systems
• Improving relationship with OSHA

What Can SRI Do For You?

SRI is one of the leading North American Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Registrars for materials, manufacturing, distribution and services industries, and SRI offers accredited registration to OHSAS 18001 and Z10, which became available in the United States in 2009.

A detailed report of the audit activity is provided indicating the degree of conformance and Opportunities for Improvement which represent value-added observations made by our auditors. Successful, effective conformance to the requirements of OHSAS 18001 will result in the issuance by SRI of an OHSAS 18001/Z10 Certificate of Registration or Conformance.

Auditors are seasoned professionals with extensive industrial occupational safety and health experience. An audit program tailored to meet your needs will be developed and include additional on-site auditing (a 12 month cycle is recommended) by SRI to ensure continued compliance to established requirements.

Combine OHSAS with ANSI/AIHA Z10-2012 and your QMS and EMS Audits

ANSI/AIHA Z10-2012, American National Standard - Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems was released at the end of 2012 through the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) to develop a standard of management principles and systems to help organizations design and implement deliberate and documented approaches to continuously improve their occupational health and safety (OHS) performance.

The standard enables organizations to integrate OHS management into their overall business management systems; it focuses on principles that are broadly applicable to organizations of all sizes and types, not on detailed specifications. The standard is compatible with relevant OHS, environmental, and quality management standards (e.g., ISO 9001 and 14001), and with approaches to OHS management in common use in the U.S.

ANSI/AIHA Z10-2012 Today

BS OHSAS 18001:2007 originated in the U.K.  18001 was developed in an open transparent process by 10 Certification Bodies.   Along with CSA Z1000 (Canadian standard) and OHSAS 18001 (U.K.), companies can now register their management system to Z-10 under SRI and ANAB.  OHSMS Audits can also be integrated with QMS and EMS audits for companies looking for an integrated, comprehensive approach.

The Z10-2012 standard is based on the PLAN-DO-ACT-CHECK cycle like ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004, and provides a prescriptive approach to management systems. Z10-2012 also places an emphasis on continual improvement and systematically eliminating the underlying root cause of deficiencies.

The Z-10 standard allows organizations to integrate occupational health and safety (OHS) management into their overall business management systems. It focuses on principles that are broadly applicable to all types of organizations, instead of detailed specifications, and is compatible with relevant OHS, environmental, and quality management standards.

Reasons to Register Your OHSMS

• Verify execution of OH&S strategies
• Facilitate compliance with legal requirements
• Increase Union and employee cooperation
• Reduce liability and risk
• Reduce insurance and lost time costs
• Demonstrate due diligence
• Establish leadership position in the industry
• Improve OH&S performance
• Improve or maintain public image

ANSI/AIHA Z10 can be applied to any type of business, organization or industry that wishes to manage its risks for Health & Safety in the work place. 

Call SRI today to talk about registration and the benefits to your organization. (724) 934-9000 x604 for Sales.