The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, has crafted an “OSHA Reform Blueprint” that details its priorities and vision for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in a time of political change. The eight-page proposal calls for reforms to emphasize the management of risk, sharpen the agency’s focus on productive policies, and fill legislative and regulatory gaps that limit OSHA’s ability to better protect workers. The paper’s release came during North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, which was 7–13 May.
“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.”
ASSE’s reform blueprint for OSHA presents recommendations vetted by safety professionals from a wide variety of industries. It proposes strategies to shift the main focus of OSHA’s mission from solely managing compliance to more effectively reducing workplace risks. That change would bring America’s regulatory practices in line with global trends while encouraging employer ownership of safety and health in their organizations. Requiring every employer to adopt a safety and health management program would help achieve that goal.
“These proposals are grounded in what ASSE’s 37,000 safety and health professionals have learned on the front lines of protecting workers,” Cecich said. “We’re confident we can help OSHA and Congress improve the regulatory oversight for occupational safety and health.”