Trade associations, voluntary programs

Safety professionals can draw upon voluntary standards and national consensus standards to develop safety performance programs, implement continuous improvement programs related to safety, and develop measures of safety performance. National consensus standards are developed through a process of obtaining input from industry representatives on the development of the standard. This representation can include manufacturers, trade associations, professional organizations, as well as other standards development bodies in the United States, in other countries, or from international coalitions such as the European Community. 

Because laboratory testing often applies to articles in international trade, international accreditation is often sought. There are many international accrediting agencies in existence. Two examples are the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (AALA). NIST administers what is called the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). 

OSHA Strategic Partnerships are alliances among labor, management, and government to foster improvements in workplace safety and health. These partnerships are voluntary, cooperative relationships between OSHA, employers, employee representatives, and others such as trade unions, trade and professionai associations, universities, and other government agencies. OSPPs are the newest member of OSHA s famiiy of cooperative programs. 

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