Seyfarth Synopsis: OSHA has just been sued for removing the requirements for establishments with 250 or more employees to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) to OSHA each year. These establishments will still be required to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses).
A coalition of groups including the Public Citizen's Health Research Group (PCHRG), American Public Health Association, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists filed a complaint against the U.S. Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration. PCHRG v Acosta, No. 19-CV-166, (D. D.C. January 25, 2019). The lawsuit challenges OSHA's decision to amend a 2016 rule on the "Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses" to remove the requirement that businesses with 250 or more workers electronically submit logs of each on-the-job injury or illness their workers sustain, although these employers must still keep such records on site.
We had recently blogged about OSHA's just issued final rule (the Rollback Rule) to remove the requirements for establishments with 250 or more employees to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300 and OSHA Form 301 to OSHA each year. Under the now amended rules these establishments will still be required to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A. 84 Fed. Reg. 380 (January 25, 2019).
The PCHRG suit claims that the Rollback Rule should be declared "unlawful and set aside because OSHA has failed to provide a reasoned explanation for its change in position, failed to adequately consider comments submitted in opposition to the change, and relied on considerations that have no sound basis in law." According to the lawsuit, "OSHA's action, findings, and conclusions are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and otherwise not in accordance with law."
Under the current rules, the deadline for electronic submissions of the calendar year 2018 OSHA Form 300A information is March 2, 2019.
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