If you’ve ever suffered an injury at work, you know how important it is to file a claim and to make sure that the injury is reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which oversees safety and health regulations at your place of work. In this news from Northeast Ohio, reports state that the OSHA has proposed a new way for companies to report injuries, so they can take the steps necessary to make working environments safer. According to the Jan. 26 news, the proposal would allegedly make injury reports more accessible to the agency and public, so everyone would know what kind of workplace accident took place.
Near the end of 2013, the government proposed the rule that would make companies with over 250 employees submit quarterly reports on all injuries and illnesses. This could be submitted electronically, according to the news. Right now, these reports, which could include any reportable injuries, are kept by businesses but don’t necessarily get submitted to OSHA with any regularity. Fatality reports and hospitalizations, however, must be reported within eight hours, according to the news.
The proposal would also require that companies with 20 or more employees submit a report that summarizes all illnesses and injuries annually. The OSHA would like this done so that it can better identify and eliminate hazards, but some people don’t agree. They believe that reports don’t tell the whole story or give reasons why an accident took place. They believe it could also affect an employee’s privacy.
If you’ve been hurt at work and want to seek workers’ compensation, this may be good news for you. Better records make it easier to make your case. If you’re interested in knowing your rights, an attorney may be able to help.
Source: Crain’s Cleveland Business, “Injury reporting could be stressful for Northeast Ohio businesses” Rachel Abbey McCafferty, Jan. 29, 2014