TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2023
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published its 2022 injury and illness data as part of its electronic recordkeeping requirements. The Injury Tracking Application data was collected from submitted OSHA Form 300A information from Jan. 2 to March 2, 2023.
“Recordkeeping is a valuable tool that provides a road map to where and why injuries and illnesses occur and where improvements are needed,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker.
“By increasing access to this data, we are providing information that can help people better understand the overall effectiveness of safety and health systems in the workplace.”
At the beginning of the year, OSHA issued its annual reminder to specific employers to submit the required data. Electronic submissions are required by establishments with 250 or more employees, and establishments with 20-249 employees classified in specific industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses.
According to the Administration, providing access to injury and illness data helps identify unsafe conditions and workplace hazards that may cause occupational injuries and illnesses, acting as the first step to control them and reduce these instances.
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| Ed Brown, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published its 2022 injury and illness data as part of its electronic recordkeeping requirements. |
Additionally, the data provides employers, workers and the public with valuable insights so they can make informed decisions. OSHA also expects the information to improve research on the occurrence, prevention and control of workplace hazards, injuries and illnesses.
Over the last year, OSHA reportedly conducted extensive outreach through website updates, social media outreach and stakeholder emails to help employers understand their obligations and submit 2021 data. As part of its continued recordkeeping enforcement efforts, OSHA reports it will work to identify establishments that failed to submit their 2022 Form 300A data.
Establishments that are required to submit injury and illness data electronically, and have not yet done so, must submit their Form 300A to the ITA.
The full list of data can be downloaded here.
Reporting Rule Proposal
Just weeks after the 2021 injury and illness reports by specific employers were due, OSHA proposed a new rule aimed at improving the process. Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses was published on March 30, 2022.
According to OSHA, if adopted, the new rule would require:
Additionally, establishments with 250 or more employees, not in designated high-hazard industries, would no longer be required to electronically submit recordkeeping information to OSHA.
Through electronic submission of establishment-specific and case-specific information outlined in Forms 300 and 301, OSHA will be better equipped to utilize its resources more effectively, according to the Agency.
The changes would also help OSHA to identify workplaces where workers are at greatest risk from specific hazards and to target its compliance assistance and enforcement efforts accordingly, which would ultimately improve research on occupational safety and health.
The electronic submissions are also expected to improve employers’ ability to compare their own injury and illness data on hazards with the data from similar establishments in the same industry. And, for stakeholders, OSHA believes the change will help to make more informed decisions.
The comment period for the proposed rule has closed. Read the proposed rule and the comments submitted by members of the public including workers and worker groups, affected industries, and other interested parties. In addition, you may examine all supporting materials for the proposed rule on this site.
The next step in this rulemaking project will be the development of the final rule.
2022 Top 10 OSHA Violations
In December, OSHA revealed its annual top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2022. The list was presented exclusively with the National Safety Council during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo.
Fall Protection – General Requirements remained at the top of the list for the 12th year in a row, followed by Hazard Communication and Respiratory Protection. OSHA’s fiscal year officially ended on Sept. 30.
“OSHA’s annual Top 10 list helps define trends so safety professionals can find the appropriate solutions,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC President and CEO at the National Safety Council during the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. “Despite advancements in workplace safety, we continue to see the same types of violations each year. It’s more important than ever employers seek education and resources to keep their workers safe.”
The Top 10 most frequently cited standards for FY 2022 are:
Note: The numbers above were pulled from a more recent article from Safety+Health. They have since been updated from the original announcement regarding OSHA’s Top 10 most frequently cited standards for 2022. Additional Top 10 “serious” and “willful” lists can be accessed here.
Tagged categories: Department of Labor; Good Technical Practice; Hazards; Health & Safety; Health and safety; Labor; OSHA; OSHA; Program/Project Management; Regulations; Safety; Workers
