American Society of Safety Engineers

Safety Standards Fact Sheet

WHAT ARE STANDARDS?

In addition to setting occupational and safety criteria, standards play a major role in everyone’s day-to-day activities. A standard is defined as a degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment; widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence; an acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; and/or a criterion. There are standards for a variety of products – from refrigerators, to bicycle helmets, to goggles, to workers’ footwear – all aimed at improving safety and quality of life and at the same time enhancing business competitiveness nationally and globally.
Occupational safety and health standards, in which the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) plays a major role, work to ensure that all workers have safe and healthy working conditions.
Standards are developed by governmental and non-governmental bodies. Non-governmental standards are developed through a voluntary national consensus process involving experts, scientific and statistical facts, review of hazards and more. Governmental standards are not voluntary and are not written in a consensus process most of the time.
ASSE participates in the development and maintenance of key privately-developed safety standards in two ways: by serving as the secretariat for 11 standards committees and by having ASSE representatives on more than 40 other safety standards committees. These activities make a significant contribution to establishing the safety profession’s body of knowledge.
The ASSE Standards Development Committee (SDC) is responsible for overseeing ASSE's standards activities. All such standards activities are done within the framework established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the development of consensus standards.
The ASSE SDC consists of up to seven members appointed to the committee based on their broad experience in safety and their specific expertise in the development of standards. This committee meets periodically to review current activities of ASSE's representatives on various standards writing committees and to establish the Society's policies with regard to consensus safety standards.
For more information on ASSE standards and standards development projects visit: http://www.asse.org/publications/standards/secretariats.php

ASSE SERVES AS SECRETARIAT FOR 11 STANDARDS PROJECTS
As secretariat for 11 standards projects, ASSE organizes the committees that develop and maintain the standard(s), ensures that the revision process is timely and in accordance with ANSI procedures, and publishes the final product of the consensus process. Over the years, ASSE has published more than 60 standards with several additional ones under development and in the planning stages for future development.

ASSE serves as secretariat for the following committees: (Click Committee Names to expand/contract)

• Construction and Demolition Operations, A10

A10 News:

• Protection of Floor and Wall Openings, A1264

A1264 News:

• Confined Spaces, Z117

Z117 News:

• Fall Protection, Z359

Z359 News:

• Lockout/Tagout and Alternative Methods, Z244

Z244 News:

11/18/08 ASSE Announces Newly Approved Standard Aimed at Protecting Workers From Injury Due to Hazardous Energy

• Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training, Z490

Z490 News:

5/15/09 ASSE Announces Newly Revised Standard on Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training

• Motor Vehicle Safety Operations, Z15

Z15 News:

• Applied Practices for Hydrogen Sulfide Safety Training, Z390

Z390 News:

3/4/05 ASSE Launches New Tool for Businesses, Members

• Guidelines for Mold and Fungi Control and Remediation for Worker Protection in Indoor Work Environments, Z690

Z690 News:

11/5/03 ASSE to Develop Mold Standard for Worker Protection

• Competence and Certification in the Safety Profession, Z590

Z590 News:

• Prevention Through Design, Z790

ASSE previously served as the secretariat for the Eye and Face Protection Committee, Z87, and the Ladder Safety Committee, A14; and continues publishing two Z87 standards-- one for historical purposes only.

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

With the globalization of the economy, there is an increasing reliance on international standards for both trade and safety at work. Participation on an International Standards Organization (ISO) U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) enables U.S. interests, including users, manufacturers and regulators, to present a U.S. perspective on workplace safety to the global community.

The U.S. TAG operates on at least three levels:

A TAG develops U.S. positions on various proposed international standards, as well as develops alternative proposals for standards.
A TAG, through a delegation of representatives, has a seat at the table of an ISO subcommittee responsible for specific topics such as fall protection, risk management and road safety.
Individual members of a TAG participate in the working groups of a subcommittee where the language in the standards is crafted and fine-tuned for an international audience.

ASSE is the Administrator for the U.S. TAGs on fall protection and risk management through ANSI, who is the U.S. voting representative to the ISO. Official votes on all such standards are cast by ANSI. For more information on U.S. TAG’s visit www.ustag.org.

ASSE Administrator of the U.S. TAG for Fall Protection

ANSI accredited the U.S. TAG on Fall Protection in October 1999, with ASSE designated as the TAG Administrator. The U.S. TAG consists of more than 20 entities with an interest in fall protection, including governmental agencies, users of fall arrest systems, professional safety societies, manufacturers of fall arrest equipment, and employers of those who use the equipment. The group develops recommendations for the U.S. position on international fall protection standards developed by the ISO’s Technical Committee 94 Subcommittee 4.

ASSE Administrator of the U.S. TAG for Risk Management

ASSE serves as the U.S. TAG to the new ISO Technical Management Board Working Group (ISO/TMB/RM) on Risk Management. Voting ISO countries approved the creation of this standards project during 2003-2004. The U.S. TAG for Risk Management uses a consensus process to notify ANSI of how the U.S. should vote and comment to ISO (as ANSI is the voting organization for the U.S.) and is currently developing the ISO 31000 series of risk management standards.

ASSE SITS ON SEVERAL STANDARDS WRITING COMMITTEES

ASSE is represented on more than 40 committees that develop and maintain close to 100 safety standards. In their respective positions, ASSE representatives attend meetings of their assigned committee, review written proposals to add to, delete or change a safety standard, and vote on the final approval of a standard. All such representatives are volunteers.

A GLOBAL SOCIETY

Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its more than 32,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members lead, manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor, health care and education. For more information about ASSE or ASSE voluntary consensus standards please go to www.asse.org.

CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE

American Society of Safety Engineers -- Protecting people, property and the environment since 1911
1800 East Oakton St. · Des Plaines, Illinois 60018 · 847-699-2929 · www.asse.org

ASSE News Release Search

Standards News Releases

11/10/2010	ASSE Announces Reaffirmation of Personnel and Debris Net Standard for Construction and Demolition
08/26/2010	ASSE Urges OSHA To Utilize Consensus Standards In Developing Fed Rule Aimed At Reducing Workplace Slips & Falls
04/13/2010	Letter to the Editor on Mine Safety, Workplace Fatalities
04/01/2010	ASSE Announces Reaffirmation of Standard for Rigging Qualifications and Responsibilities in the Construction Industry
01/05/2010	ASSE Announces Release of New Roadway Work Zone Safety Standards
11/18/2009	Transportation-Related Falls Covered Under the Z359 Fall Protection/Arrest Standards, Notes the American Society of Safety Engineers
11/05/2009	ASSE Announces Revised Workplace Fall Protection Standard
08/12/2009	The American Society of Safety Engineers Announce Newly Revised Confined Space Safety Standard and Upcoming Webcast
07/21/2009	American Society of Safety Engineers Unveil New Workplace Fall Prevention Standards
05/15/2009	American Society of Safety Engineers Announce Newly Revised Standard on Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training
02/25/2009	The American Society of Safety Engineers Announces New Standard Project to Protect Workers in Wind Generation Construction Operations
11/18/2008	American Society of Safety Engineers Announce Newly Approved Standard Aimed at Protecting Workers From Injury Due to Hazardous Energy
10/22/2008	The American Society of Safety Engineers to Offer New Crane Standards Product to Enhance Safe Operations
10/01/2008	ASSE Supports New Labor Department Rulemaking on Health Standards
07/25/2008	ASSE and ASTM Team up to Offer Slips, Trips and Fall Prevention Compendium for Employers

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