Pages

Monday, May 16, 2016

New OSHA Final Rule for Reporting Workplace Injuries and Illnesses

OSHA issued a new final rule (available here) last week. Per the OSHA website:
Not official use.
The new rule, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2017, requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness data that they are already required to record on their onsite OSHA Injury and Illness forms. Analysis of this data will enable OSHA to use its enforcement and compliance assistance resources more efficiently. Some of the data will also be posted to the OSHA website. OSHA believes that public disclosure will encourage employers to improve workplace safety and provide valuable information to workers, job seekers, customers, researchers and the general public. The amount of data submitted will vary depending on the size of company and type of industry.
The new rule also requires employers to "inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation."

The website includes a quote from Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health:
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.
Presumably a shout-out to the (in my humble opinion, massively over-hyped) behavioral economics book, Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.

No comments:

Post a Comment