OSHA Safety Standards

OSHA is in the process of implementing an Incident and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP or I2P2) rule that would affect businesses in the automotive industry.  The full text of the announcement is available in the Federal register at www.osha.gov. 

Background History 

• 1989: OSHA issued “Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines”. These guidelines encouraged employers to “Institute and maintain a program which provides systematic policies, procedures, and practices that are adequate to recognize and protect their employees from occupational safety and health hazards.”  As guidelines they have been loosely followed by some  employers but given they have no regulatory teeth many have simply overlooked them

• 1995:  OSHA holds stakeholder meetings to:  discuss preliminary ideas for a safety and health program rule and the significant issues that would be raised by such a rule.

• 1998:  OSHA publishes a draft rule that requires employers to establish a safety program with five core elements:  “Management leadership and employee participation; hazard identification and assessment; hazard prevention and control; information and training; and evaluation of the program's effectiveness”

• 2002:  Rule is still not published and the topic is abandoned largely due to political influence.

• 2005:  ANSI releases their Z10 Occupational Safety and Health Management System standard.  The standard provides best practice guidelines for developing a system.

• 2010:  OSHA Holds stakeholder meetings on Injury and Illness Prevention Programs – OSHA refers to these meetings as I2P2 meetings and plans to use the information gathered to develop a proposed rule.