ANSI Z10 certification: On the road to...

[Kales Veggie]

I am working with a client who is in the process of getting registered to ANSI Z10. The process should be completed with a month or two.

Is anyone else preparing for registration to ANSI Z10?

My research found only one company (STR-R) that has been accredited to certify to ANSI Z10. Is this true?

[Randy]

Kales your research is about as correct as can be. I am personally invloved in the OHS-MS field (I teach 18001 across N. America for a large training and system registration company) and nobody is doing Z10....I'm hardly ever asked about it. Why, you ask? Outside of the 3 mile limit Z10 doesn't have relevvancy or recognition (it's an "AMERICAN" standard). OHSAS 18001:2007 is recognized as an international OHS standard and is "the" national standard for OHS in many countries globally.

Why would your client want to do something nobody is paying attention to? Do them a favor and recommend that they put in place a system that won't have people going "Huh? What's that?".

Z10 is a good document and has some very good features, but one of them isn't its use.

[Sidney Vianna]

Originally Posted by Randy

Why would your client want to do something nobody is paying attention to?

Elementary, my dear Watson.

The organization that Kees is helping is very likely one of the many US corporations that helped developing the ANSI Z-10 document. Now, all of those organizations must be feeling the pressure to have the document deployed, including certification.

After all, a lot of effort was spent on deliberating on the Z-10 standard. We were determined to show the Europeans what a OHSMS standard should be.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vianna

After all, a lot of effort was spent on deliberating on the Z-10 standard. We were determined to show the Europeans what a OHSMS standard should be.

Yep, and the check is in the mail and I'll respect you in the morning

I'll be glad to do their audit

You know as well as I do that clients are beating down the door wanting Z10 training and registration services and that we're strained to meet the overwhelming demand

[Sidney Vianna]

So, you think that all those countless hours and meetings deliberating on the ANSI Z-10 will go to waste, without a fight? Have you seen some of the corporations behind the Z-10 development? Some pretty big names.

Obviously, there will be political pressure for Z-10 deployment in the US. And somebody gotta be the first one.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vianna

So, you think that all those countless hours and meetings deliberating on the ANSI Z-10 will go to waste, without a fight? Have you seen some of the corporations behind the Z-10 development? Some pretty big names.

Obviously, there will be political pressure for Z-10 deployment in the US. And somebody gotta be the first one.

Guess who was a small contributor as well

Many of those same big names are deploying OHSAS 18001 in lieu of Z10. Why? Because of the reasons cited above.

Besides, what political pressure? From ANSI or the AIHA?

What are they gonna fight for, part of the revenue potential?

It seems kinda odd that one of the organizations that helped nix an ISO Health & Safety standard because of "too many standards/requirements....business opposition....employee barganing unit opposition.....excessive burden, cost...etc..." developes its own national standard.

At the 2004 ASSE convention in Las Vegas during a seminar I challenged representatives of the Z10 committee on the same stuff I wrote above (in front of about 200+ people) and the dudes couldn't and didn't deny it. I specifically asked if ANSI was in such opposition to an international standard weren't they just trying to cash in on some of the business with theirs and that outside the 3 mile limit the Z10 would lack acceptance and recognition. Stunned silence! End of meeting. (I wasn't employed by my present employer at the time so there was no hankey pankey on my part)

Those dudes got up in front of eveyone and specifically stated that there was "no recognized international standard for health and safety management and that ANSI and the AIHA had jumped forward to meet the need for the USA". Well, they were correct,there was no "standard" but there was an internationally recognized "specification" (which I pointed out), and continued that it truly was an international document because of the orgaizations that had participated in its development (many by name..you guys included).

So back to the OP....My friend, charge ahead with what you are being asked to do.

[Sidney Vianna]

Originally Posted by Randy

Besides, what political pressure? From ANSI or the AIHA?

Maybe that regulatory agency called OSHA. Or that other one called NIOSH.

Originally Posted by Randy

What are they gonna fight for, part of the revenue potential?

ANSI and ANAB might have revenue interests. The others would have to justify why so much effort was spent on developing something that apparently is going nowhere.

Originally Posted by Randy

It seems kinda odd that one of the organizations that helped nix an ISO Health & Safety standard because of "too many standards/requirements....business opposition....employee barganing unit opposition.....excessive burden, cost...etc..." developes its own national standard.

I agree with that assessment. In my personal estimation, some of the US Industry resent the "ISO standard development process" because it is perceived to be an European thing. And the decision to vote down an ISO OHSMS document was a way to show "them" that enough is enough...

[Stijloor]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vianna

I agree with that assessment. In my personal estimation, some of the US Industry resent the "ISO standard development process" because it is perceived to be an European thing. And the decision to vote down an ISO OHSMS document was a way to show "them" that enough is enough...

Sidney,

Is it possible that fear of liability exposure could have been an issue?

A good example of this is clause 6.4 "Work Environment" in ISO 9001:2000 that was watered down to almost nothing.....

Stijloor.