OSHA Delays Effective Date for Portion of New Injury/Illness Tracking Rule

In mid-May, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized a rule to change the process and timeline for recordkeeping and reporting of annual injuries and illnesses at the workplace. However, there is also a second portion of the new rule that states, "The rule also prohibits employers from discouraging workers from reporting an injury or illness. The final rule requires employers to inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation; clarifies the existing implicit requirement that an employer’s procedure for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses must be reasonable and not deter or discourage employees from reporting; and incorporates the existing statutory prohibition on retaliating against employees for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses."

 

This "anti-retaliation" provision, as OSHA has labeled it, was to be effective on August 10. However, in order to coordinate more "outreach to the regulated community" about the provision, it’s effective date has now been pushed back to November 1.