OSHA collects work-related injury and illness data from employers within specific industry and employment size specifications. Detailed information on this data collection is available on the Injury Tracking Application webpage.
Recording or reporting a work-related injury, illness, or fatality does not mean that the employer or employee was at fault, that an OSHA rule has been violated, or that the employee is eligible for workers’ compensation or other benefits.
Scope of the data: OSHA only collects data from a portion of all private sector establishments in the United States. Therefore, this data is not representative of all businesses and general conclusions pertaining to all U.S. business should not be drawn.
Data quality: While OSHA takes multiple steps to ensure the data collected is accurate, problems and errors invariably exist for a small percentage of establishments. OSHA does not believe the data for the establishments with the highest rates in these files are accurate in absolute terms. Efforts are made during the collection cycle to correct submission errors; however, some remain unresolved. It would be a mistake to say establishments with the highest rates in these files are the “most dangerous” or “worst” establishments in the nation.
Rate Calculation: An incidence rate of injuries and illnesses is computed from the following formula: (Number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000) / Employee hours worked = Incidence rate. The TCR(Total Case Rate) includes all cases recorded on the OSHA Form 300 (Column H + Column I + Column J). The DART(Days Away, Restricted or Transferred) includes cases recorded in Column H + Column I. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more information on injury and illness incidence rates.
How Does OSHA use this information?
Employers with an elevated Days Away, Restricted or Transferred Rate (DART Rate), together with a random sample of establishments that did not report and some low-rate establishments, have been placed on OSHA’s SST(Site-Specific Targeting) inspection list.
Low-rate establishments are usually also included to verify the accuracy of the list (such establishments are identified on the list by two asterisks). The list is usually a 50/50 representation of manufacturing and non-manufacturing establishments.
Spencer-SHE can assist you with injury and illness tracking/reporting and any OSHA inspections that may occur. We have been providing Safety, Health, and Environmental Compliance Guidance since 1980, offering clients cost-effective, turn-key solutions. Contact us here to help you to develop and maintain a safe and healthy workforce.
Sources: https://www.osha.gov/Establishment-Specific-Injury-and-Illness-Data