Electronic Submittal of Injury and Illness Data Under 29 CFR 1904

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has changed material elements of the 29 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 1904 to include electronically submittal of injury and illness data for certain industries. This rule will be phased into effect within a two-year period with certain high-risk employers being targeted for more frequent reporting than their low-risk counterparts.  Whereas, employers with high injury rates will have injury records available for workers, job seekers, customers, researchers, and the general public that will affect the way they do business. The rule applies to private sector employers covered by OSHA with more than 10 employees. State and local government employers are covered in states with federally approved state OSHA plans.  OSHA does not require employers in industries it considers “low hazard” to keep injury records under the new rule. This category includes educational services (schools, colleges, universities, and libraries), medical and dental clinics and laboratories, and other workplaces where AFSCME members are employed. These employers must still report any workplace incident that results in a death or causes three or more employees to be hospitalized, the same as other employers.