National News Release   USDL: 00-89
Friday, March 24, 2000
Contact:Bill Wright (202) 693-1999

Up to 4,200 sites may be inspected
OSHA IDENTIFIES 13,000 WORKPLACES WITH HIGHEST INJURY
AND ILLNESS RATES

About 13,000 employers across the country are on notice to fix safety and health hazards that are driving up injury and illness rates in their workplaces, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today. Up to 4,200 of the sites may be targeted for comprehensive safety and health inspections by OSHA over the next ten months.

The agency identified the establishments with the nation's highest lost workday injury and illness rates based on employer-reported data from a 1998 survey of 80,000 worksites. Worksites identified had eight or more injuries and illnesses resulting in lost work days for every 100 full-time workers; the national average was three instances per 100 workers.

"By targeting high-hazard worksites, we're placing our resources where they are most needed," said OSHA Administrator Charles N. Jeffress. "Employers reporting these high rates will more than likely undergo a detailed inspection sometime this year."

Jeffress sent letters to all employers identified in the survey, enclosing copies of their injury and illness data, as well as a list of the most frequently violated OSHA standard for their specific industry. And, while he addressed concerns for the high rates, he also offered the agency's assistance in helping employers turn those rates around, including hiring safety and health consultants, and using OSHA's on-site consultation program.

"We recognize that an elevated lost work day injury and illness rate does not necessarily indicate a lack of interest in safety and health on the part of your business," he said in the letter. "Whatever the cause, however, a high rate is costly to your company in both personal and financial terms."

This year's Site Specific Targeting plan replaces last year's enforcement plan which targeted 2,200 hazardous work sites. Added to this year's list of industries subject to inspection are livestock (except dairy and poultry), dairy and general farms, lumber and other construction materials, department stores and hospitals.

Also, unlike last year, all nursing homes with a rate at or above 14.0 will be inspected. Only the top 20 percent of those establishments were included last year since nursing homes were grouped with three related industries that resulted in a larger number of facilities than other classifications on the list. OSHA expects all workplaces targeted under this plan will be inspected by Jan. 31, 2001.

The 23 states and two territories that operate their own OSHA-approved programs are not required to adopt this site-specific targeting plan. However, they are required to operate their own inspection targeting system.

NOTE: The Standard Industrial Classification codes for the 80,000 establishments covered in the OSHA survey include:

* 20-39 Manufacturing
* 0210 Livestock (except dairy and poultry)
* 0240 Dairy Farms
* 0250 Poultry and Eggs
* 0290 General Farms
* 0783 Ornamental Shrub and Tree Services
* 4210 Trucking and Courier Services (except Air)
* 4220 Public Warehousing and Storage
* 4230 Trucking Terminal Facilities
* 4490 Water Transportation Services
* 4510 Air Transportation, Scheduled
* 4580 Airports, Flying Fields, and Services
* 4783 Packing and Crating
* 4953 Refuse Systems
* 5010 Motor Vehicles, Parts, and Supplies
* 5030 Lumber and Other Construction Materials
* 5050 Metals and Minerals (except Petroleum)
* 5093 Scrap and Waste Materials
* 5140 Groceries and Related Products
* 5180 Beer, Wine and Distilled Beverages
* 5210 Lumber and Other Building Materials
* 5310 Department Stores
* 8050 Nursing and Personal Care Facilities
* 8060 Hospitals

(Editor's Note: A list of the 13,000 employers is available from OSHA's web site at http://www.osha-slc.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_5.html. The list does NOT designate those earmarked for targeted inspections.

This news release text is on the Internet World Wide Web at http://www.osha.gov. Information on this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999.