OSHA Targeting Inspections With More Recent Data

Effective February 7, OSHA officials will rely on more recent injury and illness data to prioritize workplaces for health and safety inspection(s) under the agency's Site-Specific Targeting (SST) policy. 

To target sites for inspections under the SST policy, OSHA reviews data that employers submit on Form 300A—the summary of workplace injuries and illnesses that is due by March 2 every year from covered employers. Employers with a high rate of DART incidents are targeted for inspection, along with those who failed to submit injury and illness data in previous years.  

DART refers to work-related injuries or illnesses that require Days Away, Restricted job duties, or Transfer to another job role.  

OSHA updates the policy regularly to ensure the years from which data is reviewed. Lately, OSHA had been using injury and illness reporting for calendar year (CY) 2019 to select establishments for inspection. Now OSHA will use data from CY 2021. 

When selecting “upward trending establishments”—that is, workplaces where the frequency of injuries is increasing—OSHA will use data from CY 2019—2021. 

Injury and Illness Reports Due March 2

As it stands now, the annual injury and illness reporting requirement (found at 29 CFR 1904.41) applies to: 

•    Employers with 250 or more employees that are required to keep injury/illness records, and 
•    Establishments with 20—249 employees in certain high-risk industries. 

In April last year, OSHA proposed revised criteria for who must submit injury and illness data from Forms 300, 300A, and/or 301. 

Electronic reporting is required. Employers may need to create an account on the online Injury Tracking Application (ITA) to submit the required forms. Forms 300, 300A, and 301 are available on OSHA.gov. 

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Tags: OSHA compliance