In March a letter went out to about 15,000 workplaces notifying then that they have with the highest numbers of injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activities or job transfers, known as the DART rate.

OSHA identified businesses with the nation’s highest rates of workplace injuries and illnesses through employer-reported data from a 2009 survey of about 100,000 worksites. (This survey collected injury and illness data for calendar year 2008.) Workplaces receiving notifications had DART rates more than twice the national average among all U.S. workplaces.

Employers receiving the letters also were provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently cited OSHA standards for their specific industry. The letter offered assistance in helping to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses by suggesting, among other things, the use of OSHA’s free safety and health consultation services for small businesses provided through the states.  The letter goes on to state that it is likely OSHA will target up to 4,500 (30%) of the establishments identified in the survey for inspection in the next year.

“Receipt of this letter means that workers in that particular establishment are being injured at a higher rate than in most other businesses of its kind in the country,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Employers whose businesses have injury and illness rates this high need to take immediate steps to protect their workers.”

A list of the employers receiving the letter is available on OSHA’s public Web site at http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_16.html.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 at 7:07 am and is filed under April, 2010, OSHA Inspections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.