Learn More About United Safety Associates!

Our Mission

Through the synergism resulting from the association with our peers in industry, continue to strive to improve our methods to reduce occupational accidents, injuries and illnesses as well as provide and maintain a safe workplace.

Goals and Objectives

To provide unity and a forum:

1. Where there can be a free exchange of ideas and opinions regarding occupational safety and health issues,
2. To address proposed legislation and regulations and ensure mutual concerns are properly considered and commented upon in the appropriate forum,
3. Where as a group, either alone or in conjunction with other concerned associates we ensure fairness and consistency in dealings with/from regulators while working towards providing the safest workplace,
4. Where topics of relevance and importance can be presented in an effort to further our education and improve our skill levels within the areas of occupational safety and health,
5. Where members can bring problems and/or potential problem situations to the group for assistance and resolution in developing and implementing solutions and
6. To share in and/or participate in any other occupational safety and health issue as it may affect and/or pertain to the members.

A Brief History

On July 11, 1990, a small group of safety professionals from several local Southern California companies gatehered at Southwestern Portland Cement Company in Victorville, California under the name of the "High Desert Safety Society." These companies represented the initial membership which formed the nucleus of our present growing organization which is now known as United Safety Associates (USA).

Though USA is a relatively new organization, it was the only organization west of the Mississippi which took an aggressive and formal stand against MSHA's "Excessive History Violations Policy." During 1991 and 1992, as a fledgling organization, USA retained the services of a Washington DC based law firm to represent the interests of its member companies in opposing the agency's proposed policy. Working closely with our law firm and other industry groups in the eastern portion of the country, USA filed an Amicus Brief with the United States District Court. Our efforts resulted in the successful relief of the repeat citation aspect of excessive history assessments.

In 1994, we cooordinated activities with MSHA at the federal level and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal OSHA), Mining & Tunneling Unit at the state level to gain releif on several issues of dual jurisdiction which had created difficulties for mine operators. Working with expertise from within the membership and with the assistance of the heads of the agencies involved, by early 1995 we were able to gain effective relief on these dual jurisdiction issues at no additional cost to our member companies.

Selected additional legislative and other accomplishments include:

• Comments on proposed SB198. Injury & Illness Prevention Program regulations
• Comments of the proposed Cal OSHA Ergonomics standard
• Membership on the ANSI Z16 Committee - Methods of Reporting and Compiling Injury and Illness Statistics
• Membership on the ANSI Z490 Committee - Criteria for Practices on Safety, Health and Environmental Training
• Comments on proposed regulations regarding MSHA 30CFR. Part 46 Training
• Comments on numerous occasions regarding candidates for nomination to the Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission
• Providing opinion, commentary and research on selective issues for Legal Publications Services, Mine Safety & Health News
• Providing editing comments for Cato Institute Policy Analysis No. 453 September 2002 "Saving Lives or Wasting Resources? The Federal Mine Safety & Health Act" by C. Gregory Ruffennach

Officers and Board

The executive board of officers is comprised of members voted in office by the membership. Officers generally serve a term of office for a period of one year. This ensures that all of the member companies have the opportunity to be involved through representation as an officer and participate in shaping and leading group activities. Through this participative governing style, USA strives to serve the needs of and seek the input of all of the member companies.

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