On September 4, 2024, OSHA introduced an online tool, the Severe Injury Report Dashboard. Severe injuries, as defined by OSHA, include any in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye. The dashboard enables detailed searches of reported severe injuries dating back to 2015 using the following search filters:
- Year
- Industry
- State
- Establishment Name,
- Event or Exposure
- Source
- Nature
- Body part
Potential Risks for Employers:
The dashboard carries significant implications for business owners. The public availability of injury data can be leveraged by the media for stories, unions to target employers for organization efforts, and by personal injury lawyers to identify potential clients. Employers should take proactive steps to avoid exposure on the dashboard.
How Employers Can Mitigate Exposure:
- Accurate Record-Keeping of OSHA 300 Logs: It is imperative for employers to maintain accurate OSHA 300 logs. Errors or omissions in these logs can lead to misrepresentation of a company’s safety practices.
- Know What to Report: Employers must be well-versed in the specifics of OSHA’s reporting requirements. Federal law mandates that employers report certain types of severe injuries such as in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye within 24 hours. Understanding what must and what must not be reported is crucial.
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