The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has agreed to reopen the comment period to allow for further input on its proposed changes to certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements. In June, the agency proposed to revise the current rule, which requires an employer to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three or more employees. The proposed rule would require an employer to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work-related fatalities and all work related in-patient hospitalizations; and within 24 hours, all work-related amputations. The proposal would also amend Appendix A to Subpart B of the agency’s Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting regulation by updating the list of low-risk industries that are partially exempt from the rule’s requirements. Industries considered “low risk” are those with an average Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate at or below 75 percent of the national average DART rate. The proposed rule seeks to amend the list of low-risk industries listed in Appendix A by replacing the current list with one based on the updated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) data, which relies on DART rates based on recent information compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The initial comment period closed on September 20, 2011. In response to a request by the National Automobile Dealers Association, the agency will reopen this proposal for additional comment until October 20, 2011. All comments must include the docket number: OSHA-2010-0019 or the regulatory information number (RIN) 1218-AC50. Comments may be submitted electronically through the federal eRulemaking portal, or via fax if fewer than 10 pages to: (202) 693-1648. Alternatively, comments may be sent by mail or hand-delivery to: OSHA Docket Office, Docket Number OSHA-2010-0019, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

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