OSHA Extends Commenting Period for Record Keeping

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will extend the commenting period for its recently proposed rule governing recordkeeping, general industry, construction and maritime safety standards.

It's not uncommon for OSHA to seek the public's opinion before implementing a new rule. The purpose of this is to acquire as much information about the potential implications of the rule before it's actually implemented. Will the proposed rule cost employers? Will it cause workers to lose their jobs? How many injuries will it prevent? These are questions that OSHA is trying to answer by opening the doors to public comments.

The commenting period for the aforementioned safety standards were originally set to close on December 5. However, OSHA said it was extending the commenting period until January 4 so stakeholders will have extra time to analyze the proposed rule and harvest information. OSHA further said that the proposed rule could be confusing or unnecessary, which is why it's extending the commenting period.

Of course, bookkeeping has been a hot topic among employers in recent months. In an effort to reduce the number of work-related injuries and fatalities, OSHA required employers to keep records of reported incidents. These requirements have been updated over the years, with employers now being required to take additional measures in regards to bookkeeping.

Recently, for instance, OSHA expanded its bookkeeping rule to include an extended list of severe work-related injuries that employers must report to OSHA. Under this newly revised rule, employers must report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours. OSHA has also added requirements to report all work-related injuries that require in-patient hospitalization, amputation and loss of an eye within 24 hours.

As explained by OSHA's David Michaels, the purpose of the newly proposed safety standards is to help employers understand their responsibilities while also increasing compliance and reducing costs.

“The changes we propose will modernize OSHA standards, help employers better understand their responsibilities, increase compliance and reduce compliance costs,” explained OSHA Administrator David Michaels in a press release. “Most importantly, these revisions will improve the safety and health protections afforded to workers across all industries.”

Not every employer is on board with the newly proposed safety standards, however. Some view it as a time-consuming nuisance. Nonetheless, employers must comply with OSHA's safety standards or face penalties and corrective action.