Earlier this year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented its rule regarding the electronic submission of workplace injury and illness records that many employers are required to keep. But that rule appears to be in limbo.
The original mandate would have given builders, contractors and other companies until July 1 to electronically submit their lists of 2016 workplace injuries. However, OSHA recently proposed the July 1 deadline be suspended until further notice.
OSHA’s website explains it is “not accepting electronic submissions of injury and illness logs at this time,” but does not yet provide information about when it intends to revisit the subject.
In a recent email to industry stakeholders, OSHA stated that it “intends to extend the initial date by which certain employers are required to electronically submit their injury and illness logs” and that the “proposal will extend this to a later date. Currently, [OSHA does] not have any additional information about the timeline for this. [OSHA] will let [stakeholders] know as additional information, including a proposed extension date, is available.”
In January, NAHB, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association, the State Chamber of Oklahoma and three poultry associations filed a lawsuit challenging the legal authority of OSHA to issue the electronic reporting rule.
In addition to the lawsuit, on May 5, NAHB and other construction industry associations asked the Department of Labor to put the implementation and enforcement of the rule on hold and to reopen the rulemaking record to reexamine the legal authority for the rule and its impact on workplace safety and health.
For more information about the rule and other jobsite safety concerns, contact NAHB’s Rob Matuga at 800-368-5242 x8507.
