By Judy Watkins

The Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health has notified (by mail) 14,000 employers nationwide that their injury and illness rates are considerably higher than the national average. Last year 94 letters were received by Montana employers.

OSHA identified businesses with the nation’s highest rates of workplace injuries and illnesses through employer-reported data from a 2007 survey of 80,000 worksites (this survey collected injury and illness data from calendar year 2006). Workplaces receiving notifications had 5.4 or more injuries resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer (DART) for every 100 full time employees. Nationally, the average U.S. workplace had 2.3 DART occurrences for every 100 employees.

Employers receiving the letter were provided copies of their injury and illness data, along with a list of the most frequently cited OSHA standards for their specific industry. The letter also offered assistance in helping reduce their DART numbers by suggesting, among other things, the use of free OSHA safety and health consultation services, insurance carriers or outside safety and health consultants.

Those companies that receive this letter are usually targeted for inspection during the year. If you have received a letter, you can contact Mike Smith at Montana Safety Services Council or OSHA for more information on how this could affect your company and how to prepare for the impending OSHA inspection.

For further information, OSHA has the news release at www.osha.gov

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