OSHA seeks to amend recordkeeping requirements for high-hazard industries

Washington — OSHA is requesting public comment on a proposed rule that would revise its injury and illness recordkeeping regulation.

The agency requires electronic submissions of Form 300A – a yearly summary of injury and illnesses data – for establishments with 250 or more employees and those with 20 to 249 employees in certain high-hazard industries. A list of those industries is available in Appendix A of 1904.41.

The proposal would change the regulation to require establishments with 100-plus employees in those high-hazard industries to submit injury and illness data from the more detailed Forms 300 and 301, in addition to Form 300A, each year. Establishments with 20 or more employees in certain high-hazard industries would have to submit data only from Form 300A.

OSHA is proposing to end the electronic reporting requirement for establishments with 250-plus employees that aren’t on the list of high-hazard industries. Additionally, the agency is seeking to update its classification system that determines which industries are covered under its electronic reporting requirements and to require establishments to include a company name when submitting data to the agency.

“As part of OSHA’s mission to protect workers and mitigate workplace hazards, this rule would improve OSHA’s ability to use its enforcement and compliance assistance resources to identify workplaces where workers are at high risk,” a March 28 press release states. “The proposed rule would also advance the Department of Labor’s mission to empower workers by increasing transparency in the workforce.”

The deadline to comment is May 29.