Revisions to the standard that guides implementation of safety and health management systems - ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 – have been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Safety and health management systems 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 is now available from the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).

“This update establishes Z10 as one of the most comprehensive systems-based standards in the world for occupational safety and health management,” said Jim Howe, CSP, chair of ASSP’s Z10 committee. “The standard is a blueprint for any company to develop and administer a safety and health management system.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 5,000 workplace fatalities occur in the U.S. each year. Another 2.8 million workers sustain non-fatal injuries and illnesses.

ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 improves organizational alignment and communication by eliminating silos and integrating planned processes into business systems. 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.

“There are widespread benefits when a business makes occupational safety and health a priority,” said ASSP President Diana Stegall, CSP, CFPS, ARM, SMS, CPCU. “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.”

Learn more at SafetyFOCUS

A safety management systems track will be available at ASSP’s SafetyFOCUS immersive education event set for Feb. 13-20 in Las Vegas. Full-day courses will highlight systems-based thinking and the implementation of the revised Z10 standard. 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).

More information on the updated Z10 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.