The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has announced plans to delay its July 1, 2017, compliance date requiring companies to submit electronic forms as part of its “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses” rule. In an update posted to the OSHA recordkeeping website, the agency announced the delay but did not mention a new compliance date or an expected time frame for announcing one.

The now-delayed rule, issued in May 2016, requires employers to submit certain injury and illness data to OSHA in an electronic form. OSHA had planned to post the initial data and future updates, with all employee-specific information removed, on a public website.

In comments submitted in 2014, IDFA objected to the rule on the grounds that the raw data in the required records would be misunderstood, misused and harmful to the companies required to submit the records. IDFA joined more than 60 other associations and businesses in urging OSHA to withdraw the proposed requirements.

“IDFA has continually questioned the value of this rulemaking as publication of raw illness and injury data does not convey information about an employer’s policies, training, protection or commitment to workplace safety,” said Emily Lyons, IDFA director of regulatory affairs and counsel. “We encourage OSHA to use this delay to consider the necessity of submitting and publishing facility specific illness and injury rates on a government website and instead focus on promoting ways to make workplaces safer.”

The requirement that is now delayed included phased-in compliance deadline for the electronic submission of these recordkeeping forms. Previously for this year, companies with 250 or more employees, as well as establishments with less than 250 employees but 20 or more in certain high-risk industries, were required to electronically submit their 2016 form by the July 1, 2017, compliance date.

For details, visit “OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements” on OSHA.gov.

For more information, contact Lyons at elyons@idfa.org.