With the proliferation of occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) in the 1990s, an assessment instrument was developed at the University of Michigan to measure a wide range of OHSMSs. Due to the range of systems it was designed to measure, the instrument is referred to as a universal assessment instrument (UAI). This article is part of a series of UAI-related articles and presents methods used in the UAI's initial field evaluation efforts. The UAI's measurement scale, case study methods, data management methods, and test site selection criteria are presented. Three test sites were selected from a pool of 15 that responded to a study solicitation. The case study methods, measurement scales, and data management system were found to be effective in performing the initial validation efforts. It is concluded that the qualitative methods used were effective in collecting the necessary information to further understand the complex nature of management system measurement. Companion articles address the actual evaluation assessment.

With the proliferation of occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) in the 1990s, an assessment instrument was developed at the University of Michigan to measure a wide range of OHSMSs. Due to the range of systems it was designed to measure, the instrument is referred to as a universal assessment instrument (UAI). Initial evaluation of the instrument's first four sections is reported here. This study shows that the UAI's initiation measurement criteria and measurement scales could make distinctions between the OHS management systems at three test sites. This was particularly evident in the case in an organization in which a standards-based OHSMS was not implemented. In this case the UAI's two measurement scales could distinguish between areas that were being developed (development scale) and areas that were in conformance with the measurement criteria (conformance scale). The score totals were consistent with the qualitative assessment using case study methods during field pilot testing; with the exception of Section 2.0, Employee Participation, in which scoring at one test site was not consistent with case study findings. It is suggested that the variables/measures presented in the UAI's OHSMS initiation organizing category may contain performance measures that may serve as key leading indicators of overall OHS performance.

This study reports two occupational deaths resulting from exposure to fluorocarbon-113 (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane; FC-113) in enclosed and confined spaces. One incident involved a worker who was exposed to FC-113 after entering a small degreasing tank to clean it. The second case involved a significant spill of FC-113 onboard a marine vessel. The incidents are compared to other fatal exposures.

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