A team was formed and a plan established to consolidate 61 standards over the next seven years. Ten standards were selected for the initial phase of the project and the Scaffolding and the Personal Protective Equipment standards were used as pilot program standards to test the methodology being used.

Champions for the various facilities were tasked with consolidating the standards using a gap assessment approach. From each gap assessment, the framework of the combined standards were formed and eventually so were the final draft documents. Input from the local Safety Standard Committees and Joint Health and Safety Committees was solicited to ensure hourly/union workers were involved in the project. After each local committee approval, the documents were shared on a facility-wide scale for final comments. The final drafts were then reviewed and approved by R&S Management.

The next standards to be addressed are Work Permits, Electrical Safety, Confined Space Entry and Respiratory Protection. 

Benefits from this effort include a consistent approach to common safety programs, ease of shared documents, and team building through the project concept.