Canadian Standards Association Unveils Workplace Safety Management Standard
October 17, 2006 // Published as a news service by IHS
| |
| IHS Sells Standards & Regulations |
Environment/Health/Safety solutions from IHS include current & historical codes, regs & standards from gov't, int'l & industry sources.
Complete this form for a free quote. |
|
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) released CSA Z1000-06 - Occupational Health and Safety Management, Canada's first consensus-based occupational health and safety (OHS) management standard.
CSA Z1000-06 is intended to help organizations reduce or prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities by providing companies with a model for developing and implementing an OHS management system.
According to the Canadian Center for the Study of Living Standards, Canada ranks among the worst of developed nations in OHS, with nearly three people a day dying, on average, as a result of workplace injuries and disease.
According to the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada, 928 Canadian workers died from work-related injuries and disease in 2004.
The CSA Z1000 standard emphasizes a need for worker participation in the operation of the management system, ensuring that all workplace parties contribute to an organization's success. CSA Z1000 was designed to be compatible with other management system standards in use by organizations across Canada, such as ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 9001 (quality management) from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
According to CSA, the new standard is designed to complement government actions in tackling the issue of worker safety, and is also designed to serve as a tool for organizations to help meet those various government programs.
CSA Z1000-06 uses a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to provide an overall framework to assist in managing preventive and protective measures, emergency preparedness, training, procurement issues, documentation, legal and many other safety-related requirements.
All of the requirements of the standard are intended to be incorporated into an OHS management system. The extent of the application will depend on the circumstances particular to each organization, including the size, nature and location of its operations and the conditions in which it functions.
Implementing the voluntary management system standard encourages a more systematic approach to meeting defined OHS objectives and helps increase awareness of health and safety in the workplace, according to CSA. It provides motivation for Canadian organizations to implement an OHS management system that meets the requirements of a recognized standard and forms a framework through which other Canadian OHS standards can be applied.
The CSA Z1000 standard also includes extensive guidance material to assist users in implementing the management system.
Source: Canadian Standards Association (CSA)