Recently, OSHA released illness and injury reports from a three-year period between 2016 and 2018.
The data comes from nearly 290,000 employer electronic submissions of Form 300A. This information was released in response to two federal court Freedom of Information Act cases: Center for Investigative Reporting v. U.S. Department of Labor and Public Citizen Foundation v. U.S. Department of Labor. These cases decided that Form 300A reports were public records and could be released.
In one of the cases a judge ruled that Form 300A data isn’t confidential because employers are required to post the information each year in a prominent spot in the workplace. Additionally, employers must also give a copy of Form 300A to current and former employees upon request.
What is the OSHA Form 300A?
Each year, employers must show a summary of all work-related illnesses and injuries.
In form 300A the number of cases, days away from work, and injury or illness are added up for a grand total. The organization must also list their information and provide a signature for OSHA’s internal use.
Businesses with 250 employees or more, and those with 20 to 249 in certain high-hazard industries, are required to electronically submit the form each year.
How is Form 300A Information Used?
By making the records public, anyone with an interest can look through a company’s injury or illness data.
OSHA intends to use the information to prioritize its investigations. It’s especially prudent as the agency has just 862 federal inspectors responsible for covering millions of workplaces. The information allows OSHA to focus its resources on the most dangerous workplaces and industries.
In the release, OSHA states: “The fact that an employer provided data does not mean that the employer is at fault, that the employer has violated any OSHA requirements, that OSHA has found any violations, or that the employee is eligible for workers’ compensation or other benefits.”
The agency also published a data dictionary to help employers fill out the form with accuracy.
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In most cases, OSHA requires medical surveillance testing, and at no cost to employees.
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Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below to schedule an on-site visit or to get your free quote!
