OSHA will require Employers to submit Injury and Illness Data Electronically

Employers will be required to electronically submit injury and illness data that they already record in 2017. OSHA is claiming this change in reporting will improve safety for workers in every state.

After 2017 the reports your company provides to OSHA will be public record and available for all to view. This alone OSHA claims will goad companies into changing their safety practices due to pressure from the public and the overall perception people will have of the company and its safety record.

A great quote from the Secretary of Labor is posted front and center on the OSHA.gov website. It reads as follows:

"No one should have to sacrifice their life for their livelihood, because a nation built on the dignity of work must provide safe working conditions for its people."
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez

If only everyone would get on board with that belief and make an effort to improve safety one line at a time, we could change the amount of death and injury that befalls working men and woman each day. An average of 13 people are dying on the job daily; workers everywhere can take a moment and do something to change their company’s safety culture for the better. It can be as simple as ordering a free guide online to making a sign that can inform someone of a known hazard, or it can be as small as speaking up and letting others know of an unsafe situation or hazard right now.

Why is OSHA issuing this rule?

OSHA believes that “more attention to safety will save the lives and limbs of many workers, and will ultimately help the employer’s bottom line as well.” OSHA also claims this will reduce the fear of reporting by employees.

What does the rule require?

This new rule will require employers to electronically report injury and illness data on their OSHA Injury and Illness forms. This new rule will take effect Jan. 1, 2017.

Anti-retaliation protections

This new rule will require employers to inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation.  These provisions become effective August 10, 2016.

Compliance schedule

OSHA states that these new reporting requirements will be phased in over two years:

“Establishments with 250 or more employees in industries covered by the record keeping regulation must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017. These same employers will be required to submit information from all 2017 forms (300A, 300, and 301) by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the information must be submitted by March 2.”

“Establishments with 20-249 employees in certain high-risk industries must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017, and their 2017 Form 300A by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the information must be submitted by March 2.”

“OSHA State Plan states must adopt requirements that are substantially identical to the requirements in this final rule within 6 months after publication of this final rule.”

OSHA believes "Our new rule will 'nudge' employers to prevent work injuries to show investors, job seekers, customers and the public they operate safe and well-managed facilities. Access to injury data will also help OSHA better target compliance assistance and enforcement resources, and enable 'big data' researchers to apply their skills to making workplaces safer."

I for one, am happy to see these new measures being put into place. It feels like OSHA is stepping up their enforcement and use of tools at it’s disposal to decrease injuries and educate companies and their employees. Let’s follow their lead and step it up in our own companies for the betterment of our fellow employees and the safety programs in place.

Ref. Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health