OSHA Drops Electronic Requirements for Two Forms

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a final rule eliminating the requirement for establishments with 250 or more employees to electronically submit information from certain OSHA forms.

The agency will not require employers to electronically submit OSHA Form 300–Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses—and OSHA Form 301–Injury and Illness Incident Report. These establishments are still required to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A–Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses.

“By preventing routine government collection of information that may be quite sensitive, including descriptions of workers’ injuries and body parts affected, OSHA is avoiding the risk that such information might be publicly disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act,” the agency said.

The rule will allow OSHA to focus its resources on the continued use of information from severe injury reports that helps target areas of concern and to fully utilize a large volume of data from Form 300A, according to the agency.

Source: Business Insurance