OSHA reopens comment period for reporting and recordkeeping revision rule

Washington – OSHA has reopened (.pdf file) the comment period until Oct. 28 for a proposed rule that would change employers’ reporting requirements for some serious workplace injuries, as well as change injury and illness reporting exemptions. The comment period was reopened at the request of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

The rule, originally proposed in June, would require employers to report to OSHA any in-patient hospitalization within eight hours and all work-related amputations within 24 hours. This differs from the current incident reporting standard (1904.39), which requires notification after at least three in-patient hospitalizations and has no amputation reporting requirements.

The rule also would require OSHA to use the North American Industry Classification System instead of the Standard Industrial Classification system, a change that would alter which industries are exempt from maintaining injury and illness records (1904.2).

“The proposed reporting revisions will enable OSHA to more effectively and efficiently target occupational safety and health hazards, preventing additional injuries and fatalities,” OSHA administrator David Michaels said in June.