2015 Changes to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

There are new reporting requirements from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).  (https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/index.html)

Under the OSHA Recordkeeping regulation (29 CFR 1904), Illinois manufacturers with 10 employees are required to prepare and maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses, using the OSHA 300 Log. This information is important for employers, workers and OSHA in evaluating the safety trends of a workplace, understanding industry hazards, and implementing worker protections to eliminate or reduce hazards.

All employers must report:

1. All work-related fatalities within 8 hours
2. All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, all amputations and all losses of an eye within 24 hours

Report to OSHA by:

1. Calling OSHA’s free and confidential number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
2. Calling your closest Area Office during normal business hours
3. Using an online form that will soon be available

It is also a good time to review emphasis programs and compare to your facility's current state.

Amputations    https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3170.pdf

Amputation prevention impacts most manufacturers.  The new reporting requirement and national emphasis program make it a priority area.

Assess machinery and equipment with particular attention to employee exposure to nip points, pinch points, shear points, cutting actions, and other point(s) of operation. Consider and evaluate employee exposures during any of the following:

1. Regular operation of the machine
2. Setup/threading/preparation for regular operation of the machine
3. Clearing jams or upset conditions
4. Making running adjustments while the machine is operating;
5. Cleaning of the machine
6. Oiling or greasing of the machine or machine pans
7. Scheduled/unscheduled maintenance
8. Locking out or tagging out.

As the manufacturing industry faces shortages of skilled workers or not prepared to lose their highly trained aging workforce, no one can afford to lose anyone to preventable injury and illness.

If you are interested in learning more about IMEC’s OSHA Authorized Trainer capabilities, or safety plan development and implementation, please contact IMEC at 888-806-4632 or by emailing info@imec.org.  IMEC staff and partners have extensive continuous improvement and quality management backgrounds.  Effective process improvement, preventative maintenance and standardized work is a common industry challenge that IMEC has proven experience.