12 Voluntary Consensus Standards to Improve Your Safety Program

by Brittany

Listen up: There is no such thing as a safe facility. Shocked? Don’t be. Even if you haven’t had a recordable injury in ten years, there’s always more that can be done to improve safety in your workplace.

We celebrate National Safety Month every June, but our true belief is that every month is National Safety Month. So what do you do when you already have a comprehensive safety management system in place, your injury and DART rates are at zero and you know you’re in compliance with the regulations that apply to your facility? Go above what’s required and incorporate voluntary consensus standards into your safety program.

What Are Voluntary Consensus Standards and Who Creates Them?

Standard-writing bodies compose technical specifications for products and processes, which then become voluntary consensus standards. And these standards can take safety at your facility from good to great. (Think: Fewer reported workplace injuries!)

Many of the voluntary consensus standards in the United States come from five main bodies:

National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)

Voluntary Consensus Standards vs. Regulations

Voluntary consensus standards are just that: voluntary. But they reflect established best management practices that have been time-tested and proven to enhance safety. So although your facility may not be required to follow them, it usually makes sense to.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has incorporated some consensus standards into their regulations by reference. By the time OSHA was founded in 1970, many consensus standards were already established and used throughout industry. Rather than reinventing the wheel, OSHA incorporated some of these into their regulations by references, which means that OSHA can cite your facility for failing to comply with these standards. (See a list of standards incorporated by reference into OSHA regulations here.)

In addition to U.S. standards writing agencies, there are also international standards agencies. One of the most notable is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). A draft version of their 45001 standard on Occupational Health and Safety is currently available, with the final version expected in October 2016. This voluntary standard will provide an internationally accepted framework for safety management systems. Like other ISO standards, facilities will be able to have their system certified. In this case, it would be their safety management system.

Here are 12 voluntary consensus standards that will take your safety program to the next level:

NFPA 10 — Standards for Portable Fire Extinguishing

Requirements to make sure portable fire extinguishers work as intended for a first line of defense against limited-sized fires.

NFPA 101B — Code for Means of Egress for Buildings and Structures

Criteria for design of egress facilities allowing occupants to escape or relocate properly.

NFPA 70E — Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace

Requirements for safe work practices to protect workers by reducing exposure to major electrical hazards.

NFPA 58 — Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code*

Benchmarks for safe storage, handling, transportation and use to prevent failures, leaks and tampering that could lead to fires and explosions.

NFPA 45 — Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals

Requirements to protect life and property through prevention and control of fires and explosions involving the use of chemicals in laboratory operations.

ANSI Z535.1 — American National Standard for Safety Colors*

Definitions, color standards and color tolerances to establish uniformity of safety color coding.

ANSI/ASSE Z590.3-2011 (R2016) — Guidelines for Addressing Occupational Hazards and Risks in Design and Redesign Processes

Guidance on how to include hazard and risk prevention when working through and implementing occupational safety and health management system designs.

ANSI/AIHA/ASSE Z10 — Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

Blueprint for improving health and safety performance within the organization while increasing productivity, financial performance and quality.

ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 — American National Standard for Minimum Requirements for Workplace First Aid Kits and Supplies

Performance requirements for first aid kits and supplies that are intended to be used in various work environments.

ANSI Z358.1 — American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment

Requirements for eyewash and shower equipment for emergency treatment of eyes or body of someone who has been exposed to a hazardous material.

ANSI/ASSE Z244.1 — Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout/Tagout & Alternative Methods

Requirements for control of hazardous energy associated with machines, equipment or processes that could cause injury.

Cost to Comply

Unlike OSHA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, there is usually an upfront cost to access consensus standards. Not excited about paying for something voluntary? Consider it from this angle: Purchasing consensus standards will have a lesser economic impact on your business than an employee injury and associated workers’ compensation costs.

The Safety Lining

In 2003, there were about 5 million employer-reported workplace injuries and illnesses in private industry. In 2014, there were nearly 3 million. Safety is a focus that will never go away. Make every month National Safety Month by continually improving your safety program with voluntary consensus standards and you’re on your way to reducing workplace injuries by another 2 million cases over the next 10 years.

*Incorporated by reference into OSHA regulations.