On April 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an enforcement program that identifies employers who failed to submit Form 300A data through the agency’s Injury Tracking Application (ITA).
OSHA 300A (also called the Annual Summary) is required to be posted each February 1 through April 30. All records must be stored at the worksite for at least 5 years
Annual electronic submissions are required by establishments with 250 or more employees currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and establishments with 20-249 employees classified in specific industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses.
The program matches newly opened inspections against a list of potential non-responders to OSHA’s collection of Form 300A data through the ITA.
They will report all matches to the appropriate OSHA area office.
If the area office determines that the establishment on the list is the same establishment where the inspection was opened, OSHA will issue citations for failure to submit OSHA Form 300A Summary data.
OSHA is also reviewing the 2021 submitted data to identify non-responders at a corporate-wide level for the nation’s largest employers.
Why is OSHA implementing this enforcement campaign?
OSHA developed the program in response to recommendations from the Government Accountability Office to improve reporting of summary injury and illness data. The initiative will begin in early April.
“OSHA believes that it is vital for the public to have access to illness and injury information that employers provide in their annual submissions,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “We are committed to enforcing this important requirement and will continue to look for strategies to reach full compliance.”
OSHA Posting Electronic Recordkeeping Requirements
The agency is also posting ITA data as part of its electronic recordkeeping requirements for certain employers. By mid-March, 289,849 establishments had submitted their OSHA Form 300A information.
Read More: OSHA Proposes Collecting More Electronic Workplace Injury Data to Improve Inspections
Public access to injury and illness data for industries, companies and establishments allows employers, workers, potential employees, and others to better understand workplace safety and health outcomes at an employer or industry, allowing them to make valuable insights and informed decisions.
Employers of all sizes can use this data to benchmark with others in their industry or compare results across their operations.
This accessibility will help identify and mitigate workplace hazards, and ultimately result in the reduction of occupational injuries and illnesses.
Find out more, call us at 800.551.9816 or email us at info@cnsoccmed.com.
