OSHA ELECTRONIC INJURY DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS DELAYED UNTIL DECEMBER

The Obama-era OSHA rule requiring employers to submit injury and illness date electronically to the agency that was originally set to go into effect on July 1, 2017, has been delayed to December 1, 2017, according to a proposed delay submitted by OSHA.  OSHA states that the agency plans to issue a separate proposal to review or remove various provisions in the final rule.  The proposal suggests that pushing back the deadline would be the first step in a long process that could include fully reviewing or even revoking the record-keeping rule.  The rule was issued in May 2016.  Concerns were particularly expressed by employers that the rule would enable OSHA to post injury and illness data on the agency’s public website, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has petitioned the Department of Labor to reopen the rule making to consider various changes, including a change involving restrictions on incentive and drug testing programs.