It was recently announced that the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, will be rolling back two important components of its electronic record-keeping system. With these new changes, injury and illness data Forms 300 and 301 will no longer be submitted to the organization.
Although the government shutdown has affected the Federal Register, OSHA announced that the changes are set to go into effect on January 25th. With these modifications to the Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule, OSHA will now accept Form 301A, which is an annual report of illnesses and injuries, rather than the more detailed Forms 300 and 301. This change is set to affect businesses with over 250 employees, and businesses with 20-249 employees working in industries with high occupational illness and injury rates.
Labor Secretary Alexandra Acosta has stated that changes were made over concerns for workers’ privacy. However, the move has been met with massive criticism. The Public Citizen Health Research Group, the American Public Health Association, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists have all filed a lawsuit over the changes for not properly announcing that Forms 300 and 301 would no longer be accepted. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO, did request a meeting with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, or OIRA, to discuss the changes on December 19th, prior to the shutdown, but OIRA never responded.
Condemning the agency’s actions, AFL-CIO Director Peg Seminario said that OSHA’s record-keeping rollback, “allows employers to hide their injury records and keep workers, the public and OSHA in the dark about dangerous conditions in American workplaces.” She went on to state that, “This backward action flies in the face of recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the public health community strongly endorsing the collection and use of this injury data for prevention.”
The removal of Forms 300 and 301 comes on the heels of another controversial move by OHSA, in which they withdrew a final rule regarding slip, trip, and fall hazards from review. Designed to update OSHA requirements to reflect changing technologies and shifting industries, the Walking Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems rule was pulled on December 21st.
Don’t Let the Government Take Advantage of You, Hire a Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
At Michael J. Doyle, Attorney at Law, we are extremely disappointed that OSHA would try to limit American workers’ access to knowledge about the dangerous industries they may be working in. Luckily, our Albuquerque workers’ compensation lawyer isn’t willing to let government regulations interfere with your workers’ comp claims. From career-ending injuries to common occupational illnesses, we believe that Americans have a right to know about the hazards associated with their work environment. Fortunately, if you do get injured on the job, we can provide experienced legal assistance to advocate for every cent you are owed. Workplace accidents happen, but if your employer put you in a dangerous situation without your full knowledge, then you may be entitled to additional compensation for pain and suffering. Contact Michael J. Doyle, Attorney at Law today, and start fighting for the workers’ compensation justice you deserve.
Call now at (505) 219-2176 to speak to an attorney, or contact us online to schedule a consultation. And remember, you don’t pay unless we win.