American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has proposed a blueprint plan to reform American occupational safety and health (OSH) practices to meet world standards. ASSE issued these recommendations during this period of political change to transform how OSHA approaches workplace safety.
"Every change in our nation's leadership provides an opportunity to consider better ways of protecting American workers," said ASSE President Thomas Cecich. "With more than 100 years of experience in safety leadership, ASSE is proposing innovative approaches to improve how occupational safety and health is practiced and regulated in the United States."
To address a decade-long plateau of workplace injuries and improving workplace health and safety regulations, ASSE has developed a 12-point blueprint proposal for OSHA:
- Adopt a risk-based approach and require safety and health programs. Requiring all employers to adopt a safety and health program focusing on leadership, worker participation, education, program evaluation, and identifying and preventing hazards could reduce worker injuries by 15-35 percent for employers without a program.
- Focus efforts on finding solutions to the primary causes of workplace fatalities. Most workplace deaths occur from motor vehicle incidents, slips/trips/falls, equipment contact and workplace violence. A new National Emphasis Program would expand focus on these common scenarios and their causes.
- Expand third-party auditing. Establish a policy on third-party auditors operating under OSHA's rules and procedures. Qualified safety professionals would inspect workplaces and provide employers with findings, recommendations and a timeline for implementation.
- Expand options for employers in settlement agreements. Formalizing a policy of issuing credit against citation fees would go toward noncompliant employers who commit to changing workplace safety. Directing penalty fees back into OSH improvements is another option.
- Embrace expanded use of consensus standards and negotiated rulemaking. Expanding the OSH Act's use of consensus standards and negotiated rulemaking could keep standards up-to-date and benefit employees and employers. Negotiated rulemaking is speedier than traditional rulemaking, leaving OSHA less vulnerable to legal challenges.
- Provide coverage for all public workers. Because most states do not offer OSH coverage to public sector employees, 8.5 million state and local government workers are without coverage. Expanding coverage would provide them with the safety and health protections private sector and federal employees receive.
- Reduce chemical and physical exposures through occupational hazard banding. Banding allows stakeholders to assess risk across chemical and physical hazard categories and implement hazard control strategies. Partnering with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) would assist in future regulation of these dangers.
- Increase collaboration with NIOSH for improved OSHA guidance. A closer partnership would guide OSHA's rulemaking and focus NIOSH's research of workplace problems.
- Intensify Total Worker Health (TWH) efforts. TWH provides the framework for businesses to build a safety and health process. Through TWH applications, employees can remain as healthy as possible, with reduced risk of injury or illness while on the job.
- Rescind the 2016 electronic recordkeeping rule. A comprehensive risk-based approach can provide clearer information about a business' commitment to health and safety than the current record system. This would make OSHA less complex and would lessen the "misguided emphasis" on injury and illness data.
- Increase opportunities for positive recognition. Rather than the "name and shame" enforcement model, OSHA could showcase exemplary companies and create a national recognition program.
- Focus on safety and health. OSHA's resources should retain its intended focus and not use its authority to weigh in on political or social issues.
These 12 suggestions are meant to start conversations to clear the path for the U.S. to set the bar for OSH standards. As a whole, ASSE prompts OSHA to work toward clear, defined standards that will help create a better American workplace.
For more information, visit www. asse.org or call (847) 699-2929.
