OSHA to Hold Public Meeting on Safety, Health Program

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is hosting a day-long roundtable discussion on the agency's draft of updated Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines on Thursday, March 10, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Labor's Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C. Those wishing to attend must register here by March 3. Attendees can choose from several levels of participation in the discussion, which will cover the guidelines in general plus key issues that were raised in public comments. The comment period closes Feb. 22, 2016. First published in 1989 to help employers establish their own safety and health programs, the guidelines are being updated to reflect changes in the workplace and modern safety practices. They should be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized businesses, and also provide approaches that multiple employers at the same work site can use to coordinate their efforts to protect all workers, according to OSHA. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.