Charles F. Redinger

Development and Evaluation of The Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Management System Assessment Instrument: A Universal OHSMS Performance Measurement Tool

A universal Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) Assessment Instrument has been developed to measure the effectiveness of a wide range of OHSMSs. The development and evaluation of the instruments overall structure, its OHSMS principles, and its measurement criteria are presented in this article. Thirteen OHSMS and environmental management system (EMS) models were reviewed in an effort to define the OHSMS universe. Four of these models were selected as instrument input models. These models are (1) the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP); (2) the British Standards Institutes OHSMS, BS 8800:1996; (3) the American Industrial Hygiene Associations OHSMS; and (4) the International Organization for Standardizations (ISO) EMS ISO 14001:1996. The instrument in its final form contains 27 sections, 118 OHSMS principles, and 486 measurement criteria. Evaluation of the instruments principles and measurement criteria was conducted by a 16-member pan...

Analysis of Third-Party Certification Approaches Using an Occupational Health and Safety Conformity-Assessment Model

The occupational health and safety conformity-assessment model presented in this article was developed (1) to analyze 22 public and private programs to determine the extent to which these programs use third parties in conformity-assessment determinations, and (2) to establish a framework to guide future policy developments related to the use of third parties in occupational health and safety conformity-assessment activities. The units of analysis for this study included select Occupational Safety and Health Administration programs and standards, International Organization for Standardization-based standards and guidelines, and standards and guidelines developed by nongovernmental bodies. The model is based on a 15-cell matrix that categorizes first-, second-, and third-party activities in terms of assessment, accreditation, and accreditation-recognition activities. The third-party component of the model has three categories: industrial hygiene/safety testing and sampling; product, equipment, and laboratory certification; and, occupational health and safety management system registration/certification. Using the model, 16 of the 22 programs were found to have a third-party component in their conformity-assessment structure. The analysis revealed that (1) the model provides a useful means to describe and analyze various third-party approaches, (2) the model needs modification to capture aspects of traditional governmental conformity-assessment/enforcement activities, and (3) several existing third-party conformity-assessment systems offer robust models that can guide future third-party policy formulation and implementation activities.

Conformance of ISO Occupational Safety and Health Management System Standards in Public-Sector Procurement Specifications to the GATT/WTO Requirements

The possibility of establishing an occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS)standard is examined in view of historical, political, legal, and technical issues. The authors discuss whether an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) OSHMS standard included in government procurement specifications would be in conformance with the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade. Assuming that an ISO OSHMS standard is beneficial to U.S. government interests, this article shows that strategies exist for its implementation in procurement language. Nevertheless, the obstacles to implementation are not trivial, and the policy recommendations outlined herein would have to be implemented in a flexible manner. The authors argue that this issue is of central importance to occupational safety and health professionals and stakeholder groups, and that if requirements for registration against an international OSHMS standard are introduced into government procurement specifications, a significant step wil...