OSHA has notified about 14,000 employers that injury and illness rates at their worksites are higher than average.
In a letter this month to those employers, Jonathan L. Snare, acting head of OSHA, explained that the notification was a proactive step to encourage employers to take steps now to reduce those rates and improve the safety and health environment in their workplaces. He also said that assistance is available to help employers fix safety and health hazards
'This identification process is meant to raise awareness that injuries and illnesses are high at these facilities,' Snare said. 'Injuries and illnesses are costly to employers in both personal and financial terms. Our goal is to identify workplaces where injury and illness rates are high, and to offer assistance to employers so they can address the hazards and reduce occupational injuries and illnesses.'
Establishments with the nation's high workplace injury and illness rates were identified by OSHA through employer-reported data from a 2004 survey of 80,000 worksites (the survey consisted of data from calendar year 2003). The workplaces identified had 6.5 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer (DART) for every 100 full-time workers. The national average during 2003 was 2.6 DART instances for every 100 workers.
Employers receiving the letters were also provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently violated OSHA standard for their specific industry.
The list does not designate those earmarked for any future inspections. An announcement of targeted inspections will be made later this year. Also, the sites listed are establishments in states covered by federal OSHA; the list does not include employers in the 21 states and one territory (Puerto Rico"