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(From National Safety Council Congress and Expo in San Diego) OSHA administrator David Michaels has called the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (i2p2) proposal the agency’s top priority. What does Michaels hope companies will get from creating their own site-specific plans to identify and reduce hazards?

Speaking at the National Safety Council Congress and Expo in San Diego, Michaels pointed to one company, Anthony Forest Products, headquartered in Texas.

The company, with 350 workers, had workers’ comp premiums that approached $1 million. To attack the problem, it first participated in OSHA’s voluntary On-site Consultation Program.

After instituting recommendations, Anthony started its own company-wide safety and health management program — in other words, an i2p2.

Anthony’s recordable injury rate dropped significantly. On top of that, it saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in workers’ comp premiums.

OSHA just completed five stakeholder meetings to get comments on the i2p2 proposal. The next step is to measure its impact on small businesses, a process that is scheduled to start in November.

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would follow the impact study.

Twelve states already mandate companies have these types of prevention programs.

Tags: David Michaels, i2p2, injury and illness prevention programs, National Safety Council, safety success