Environmental & Safety Law Update: OSHA To Post Employer Injury Data Online, Will Require Employers to Submit Logs Electronically

Seyfarth Synopsis: New OSHA final rule requires employer to submit data electronically, to be posted on the OSHA website. On May 12, 2016 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published the final rules requiring employers to submit injury and illness data electronically.  81 Fed. Reg. 29624.

 

OSHA will release this information publicly on its website, believing that its disclosure will shame employers into improving workplace safety.   The electronic data submission will also ease OSHA’s data analysis, presumably to ramp up citations against employers based on the frequency of certain types of injuries (such as OSHA’s renewed focus on “ergonomics” injuries) or injuries caused by exposures to certain chemicals or toxic materials.  The final rule also includes new anti-retaliation and injury and illness reporting provisions. The final rule will take effect on January 1, 2017.

 

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