OSHA Inspection Program Targets Workplaces With High Injury and Illness Rates

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) issued a Notice implementing its Site-Specific Targeting 2016 (“SST-16”) inspection program, which targets for inspection workplaces with the highest rate of injuries and illnesses.  The program uses data from injury and illness information that employers submitted for calendar year (“CY”) 2016. 

Who Will Be On the SST-16 Inspection List?

The SST-16 program includes non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more employees.  Establishments are selected for inspection based on their submission of CY 2016 Form 300A data.  OSHA’s inspection lists will include:

• Establishments with high Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) rate;
• A random sample of establishments that did not provide the required 2016 Form 300A data to OSHA; and
• To verify data accuracy, OSHA will include a random sample of low-rate establishments for quality control purposes.

Form 300A

OSHA required employers to electronically submit CY 2016 Form 300A data by December 15, 2017.  The CY 2017 deadline was July 1, 2018, but employers may still submit this information to OSHA.  Going forward, establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records, and establishments with 20-249 employees that are classified in specific industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses will be required to provide this information each year by March 2.  For more information on Form 300A, click here.

Deferrals of Inspection

OSHA identified two situations in which a SST-16 inspection will be deferred:

1. If an establishment has used OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program and is an approved participant in the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (“SHARP”) it may be granted a deferral from OSHA programmed inspections under certain conditions.  The On-Site Consultation Program offers employers with up to 250 workers with free, confidential safety and health advice on complying with OSHA standards, and establishing and improving safety and health programs.  On-Site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations.
2. An establishment that is a Voluntary Protection Program (“VPP”) applicant will be removed from a programmed inspection list for up to 75 days prior to the scheduled review.

For more information, visit www.osha.gov.