On February 1, 2016, the United States Department of Labor – OSHA announced it is extending the public comment period on an updated version of its voluntary Safety and Health Management Guidelines. The current comment period was announced on November 16, 2015 and was set to close on February 15, 2016; however, OSHA is extending the comment period to February 22, 1016. This extension is to allow interested parties additional time to provide feedback on the draft guidelines.
According to OSHA, the proposed updates to the guidelines “build on the previous version, as well as lessons learned from successful approaches and best practice under two OSHA programs – Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), and similar industry and international initiatives such as ANSI/AIHA Z10 and OHSAS 18001.” Specifically, the new proposal includes:
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A proactive approach to finding and fixing hazards before they cause injury, illness or death;
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Improved safety and health in all types of workplaces;
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Help for small and medium-sized businesses to effectively protect their workers;
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Increase worker involvement, so all workers have a voice in workplace safety and health;
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Better communication and coordination on multi-employer worksites;
Comments
You can provide comments and obtain additional information located by visiting OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Management webpage here. Comments can also be posted directly to www.regulations.gov using Docket #OSHA-2015-0018.
We will continue to monitor this issue and advise you of additional developments.