The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (‘OSHA”) announced on May 4, 2010, that it will be holding three stakeholder meetings at various sites in June to promote a discussion by registered participants on OSHA’s development of a proposed Injury and Illness Prevention Program (“I2P2”) rule. OSHA seeks to use these discussions to gather information for an I2P2 rule “that will help employers reduce workplace injuries and illnesses through a systematic process that proactively addresses workplace safety and health hazards.” 75 Fed. Reg. 23638. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety & Health, has stated publicly that an I2P2 rule could be used to ensure that an employer is identifying all hazards, including ergonomic and chemical hazards. Notably, OSHA was prevented by Congressional action from implementing a rule directly regulating ergonomic hazards.
OSHA describes its efforts on an I2P2 rule as the continuation of its past attempts to publish a Safety and Health Program rule. In this recent effort, OSHA notes that, without an OSHA mandate, some employers have implemented voluntary consensus safety and health management system standards which have been published by ANSI and AIHA (the Z10 standard) or by the British Standards Institute (OHSAS 18001). OSHA wants these June meetings to discuss possible regulatory approaches to I2P2, the benefits demonstrated through the consensus standards, and the potential elements of an I2P2 rule. To be among the 50 participants at each of these meetings, parties must register by May 20, May 27, or June 15, 2010, depending on the meeting date and location.
Click here for the Federal Register notice announcing the I2P2 meetings and registration information.