April 11, 2007—Approximately 14,000 employers nationwide recently received a letter from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) alerting them of their higher-than-average injury and illness rates and encouraging them to use free OSHA resources to proactively improve their safety and health performance.
The notifications were based on data reported by approximately 80,000 employers surveyed by OSHA last year (the survey collected injury and illness data from calendar year 2005). Employers receiving the letters were also provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently violated OSHA standards for their specific industry.
The letter offered assistance in helping turn the numbers around by suggesting, among other things, the use of free OSHA safety and health consultation services provided through the states, state workers’ compensation agencies, insurance carriers, or outside safety and health consultants.
The list does not designate those earmarked for any future inspections; an announcement of targeted inspections will be made later this year. Also, the worksites listed are establishments in states covered by federal OSHA.
For a copy of the letter or a list of the 14,000 sites, visit OSHA.
