The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) serves as the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the new ISO PC 283, Occupational health and safety management safety systems – requirements. U.S. TAGs review standards and documents and then forward positions to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for voting at the international level with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
ISO is developing a global occupational health and safety (OH&S) standard intended to provide effective, real-world solutions for worker safety. The U.S. TAG for OH&S will use 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.). ASSE already serves as TAG Administrator for TC94-SC4, which addresses international fall protection standards and TC262, which addresses risk management.
This U.S. TAG will probably be limited to 75 voting organizations, but this has yet to be finalized. An organization approved for TAG membership is added to a roster and receives ballots, draft standards and other information.
TAG meetings will be held at ASSE headquarters in Des Plaines, IL. International meetings are held, but attendance is not required. Membership in the TAG will also involve correspondence, some electronic mail and an occasional conference call.
Membership and participation in a U.S. TAG are not linked to ASSE membership, and the Society does not reimburse U.S. TAG-related expenses. There is a membership fee for this TAG.
We hope you will consider becoming part of this important international OH&S standards-setting committee. Please contact Tim Fisher at tfisher@asse.org if you have questions or require further information.