Safety Industry News

Virtual Symposium Stresses Value of Safety Management Systems

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is holding a one-day virtual symposium on Wednesday, Jan. 15, that will focus on occupational health and safety management systems and how they can reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities in any organization.The symposium will include four webinars and provide registrants with two standards for free.
Webinar presenters will review differences between ISO 45001 and ANSI/ASSP Z10.0-2019 to help participants determine which safety management system is right for their organization.

“Safety management systems serve as a foundation that enables organizations to integrate critical processes to improve safety,” said ASSP President Diana Stegall, CSP, CFPS, ARM, SMS, CPCU. “Incidents that harm workers occur far too often in every industry. Most occupational injuries and illnesses are preventable.”

Here’s a breakdown of the day’s four webinars:
● Webinar 1: “How Can an Occupational Health and Safety Management System Help Your Organization?” presented by Stegall and ASSP CEO Jennifer McNelly.
● Webinar 2: “ANSI/ASSP Z10: Is It the Future of Safety Management Systems?” presented by James Howe, CSP, president of Safety Solutions and chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z10 Committee; and Victor Toy, CSP, CIH, FAIHA, president and principal consultant for Insyst OH&S and vice-chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z10 Committee.
● Webinar 3: “ISO 45001: A Global Outlook” presented by Kathy Seabrook, CSP, CFIOSH, EurOSHM, FASSP, president of Global Solutions Inc. and member of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO Project Committee 283 that publishes ISO 45001; and Victor Toy, CSP, CIH, FAIHA, who chairs the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO Project Committee 283.
● Webinar 4: “We’re In Construction: Is There a Safety Management System for Us?” presented by John Johnson, CSP, vice president and director, ESH&S, at Black & Veatch; and Steve Rank, executive director of safety and health for the Ironworkers International Union.

“When a business makes occupational safety and health a priority, it can experience widespread benefits,” Stegall said. “Not only do workers return home safe to their loved ones, but quality and productivity flourish, helping organizations achieve sustainable growth, meet social responsibilities and be viewed as employers of choice.”
All registrants will receive copies of ANSI/ASSP Z10 and ANSI/ASSP A10.1-2011 (R2017) Pre-Project and Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning for Construction and Demolition Operations. Safety professionals can register for the event by clicking here.

In addition to the virtual symposium, ASSP has developed a Z10 implementation guide to help lead safety professionals through the process of adopting the safety management system. Organizations implementing ISO 45001 or a hybrid system will also find the manual helpful because many core elements are similar.