After months of study, the Department of Labor has announced that a final rule governing worksite injuries will take effect on January 1.
The new rule, said Doug Parker, assistant secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, represents a significant step forward in providing “an understanding of the safety and health problems workers face.”
The rule will apply only to “certain employers in designated high-hazard industries,” and will require the electronic submission of all material related to either a workplace injury or illness.
In so doing, those employers will see workplace injury information released to the general public documenting a given company’s workplace safety and health record. A Labor Department press release maintains that providing public access to such data will “ultimately reduce occupational injuries and illnesses.”
The requirement for electronic information detailing workplace injuries and illnesses applies only to companies with 100 or more employees. That information will be submitted via a Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, along with an Injury and Illness Incident Report.
In a world once swamped with paperwork and more paperwork, all information now sent to OSHA is electronic and includes yet another submission: the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses.
OSHA has previously identified construction, agriculture, food production, and oil and gas as among those listed as high-hazard industries.
By Garry Boulard
