ASSE Z590.3

Abstract

This standard provides guidance on including prevention through design concepts within an occupational safety and health management system. Through the application of these concepts, decisions pertaining to occupational hazards and risks can be incorporated into the process of design and redesign of work premises, tools, equipment, machinery, substances, and work processes including their construction, manufacture, use, maintenance, and ultimate disposal or reuse. This standard provides guidance for a life-cycle assessment and design model that balances environmental and occupational safety and health goals over the life span of a facility, process, or product. <br>This standard complements but does not replace performance objectives existing in other specific standards and procedures. <br>The goals of applying prevention through design concepts in an occupational setting are to: <br>&#8226; Achieve acceptable risk levels. <br>&#8226; Prevent or reduce occupationally related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. <br>&#8226; Reduce the cost of retrofitting necessary to mitigate hazards and risks that were not sufficiently addressed in the design or redesign processes. <br><strong>Purpose.</strong> This standard pertains principally to the avoidance, elimination, reduction or control of occupational safety and health hazards and risks in the design and redesign process. <br>Note: Incidents or exposures that have the potential to result in occupational injuries and illnesses can also result in damage to property and business interruption, and damage to the environment. Reference is made in several places in this standard to those additional loss potentials which may require evaluation and resultant action.