With a new year sometimes comes new ways of doing business. For example, OSHA has made some changes that will impact how you get work done in 2018. Here’s a peek at what these changes will look like in the coming year.
New Rule
Certain employers will need to electronically submit injury and illness data that is already recorded. This change is meant to improve safety for workers in the U.S. and to better understand behavior and motivation around injury reporting. The new rule, which originally came into play last January, requires certain employers to electronically submit injury and illness data that they are already required to record on their onsite OSHA Injury and Illness forms. This data is used to enable OSHA to use its enforcement and compliance assistance resources quickly and efficiently. Some of this data is posted to the OSHA website, as OSHA believes that public disclosure will encourage employers to improve workplace safety and do their best to reduce incidents.
What Changed?
OSHA now has provided a secure website that offers multiple options for submission of this data. Users can manually enter data into a web form, upload a CSV file to process single or multiple establishments at the same time, or by using an automated recordkeeping API. The Injury Tracking Application (ITA) is accessible from the ITA launch page, where you are able to provide the Agency your 2017 OSHA Form 300A information. The date by which required employers are expected to submit to OSHA the information from their completed 2017 Form 300A is July 1, 2018. If your company has between 20 and 249 employees and is categorized as one of these high-risk industries, you must submit information from the 2017 Form 200A by July 1st of this year. For subsequent years, all reports must be submitted by March 2.
Why Make the Revision?
It’s clear that almost every industry has been deeply impacted by big changes in technology. Governmental agencies are no different. By encouraging (and enforcing) reporting practices like these, OSHA believes that more employers will feel the pressure and improve workplace safety and provide valuable safety information to workers, job seekers, customers, researchers, and the public as a whole. The amount of data submitted will vary depending on the size of the company and the industry they operate in as well. But the general idea is the same. By making employers track and disclose their injury and illness data, both workers and corporate leadership will be more aware of issues, will be better educated on the realities of the safety of their workplace, and will take steps to create a safer, more healthy work environment.
For more information about the new provisions, read about the rule on the OSHA.gov webpage here. You can also explore the ITA launch page here, and learn about the information businesses are required to submit online now and in the coming years.
Work With a Top Staffing Agency in Middle Tennessee
Are you looking to partner with a top staffing agency in middle Tennessee? Contact the team of recruiters at All-Star Personnel today.
