Recordkeeping

OMB completes review of OSHA recordkeeping rule

White House

Photo: TriggerPhoto/Thinkstock

Washington – The White House Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of a rule from OSHA that would require electronic recordkeeping and reporting, a sign that the rule may soon be published.

The Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule would require employers with at least 250 employees to electronically submit injury and illness reports to OSHA on a quarterly basis. Similarly, employers with 20 to 249 employees in industries that have a days away from work, job restriction or job transfer rate averaging 2.0 or greater would be required to electronically submit information from their annual summary form, OSHA Form 300A. The data would then be made available to the public.

OSHA claims the rule will allow the agency to receive more accurate and timelier information. However, some stakeholders have raised concerns about whether making the data public will contribute to underreporting, and question the agency’s ability to “scrub” the information to ensure the privacy of injured workers.

OMB completed its review on April 29 after receiving the rule on Oct. 5, 2015. OSHA issued the proposed rule in November 2013.

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Gary Nonemacher
May 6, 2016
Please stop with new regulations adding time and cost to businesses. I care much more about the health and safety of my workers. Because there are unscrupulous employers out there, please don't punish the responsible ones with more mandated costs, then pressure us to raise wages as well. It is like police stopping all cars because some irresponsible people drive while intoxicated. We want abusive employers held accountable, but not at the regulatory expense we now pay.

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Earl Gassmann
May 9, 2016
For a company like mine with 45 locations this would involve a huge chunk of time if I have to submit 45 individual reports 4 times per year including average number of employees and hours worked.