Occupational safety professionals have weighed in on their top issues for the coming year. See if you agree.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) polled its members to find their top policy concerns.

They are:

• Updating Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs): Many PELs haven’t been updated since the 1960s and 1970s. OSHA is currently working on a plan to update these limits on employees’ exposures to harmful substances.
• Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2): OSHA is working on a rule to require each employer to have an I2P2 that identifies and controls hazards.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)/ Globally Harmonized System (GHS): The GHS would help standardize formats for MSDSs.
• Professional Recognition/ Title Protection: AIHA says one area of concern is the continued influx of specific occupational health and safety titles that are awarded by non-accredited bodies.
• OSHA reform: AIHA says it supports efforts to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act if changes provide added protection for employees.

Other OSHA issues of importance to AIHA members include ergonomics, noise/hearing, risk assessment and combustible dust.

What occupational safety issues do you want to see more emphasis on in 2011? Let us know in the Comments Box below.

Tags: AIHA, injury and illness prevention program, material safety data sheets, permissible exposure limits, top safety priorities 2011