Injury and Illness: Recordkeeping

Background

What is the OSHA Data Initiative (ODI)?

In 1995, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established the annual OSHA Data Initiative (ODI) to collect data on injuries and acute illnesses attributable to work-related activities in private-sector industries from approximately 80,000 establishments in selected high‑hazard industries. The Agency uses these data to calculate establishment-specific injury/illness rates, and in combination with other data sources, to target enforcement and compliance assistance activities.

How does the ODI differ from the BLS Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses?

The OSHA data collection parallels aspects of the annual Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in that both the ODI and the BLS Annual Survey collect summary information on occupational injuries and illnesses from private-sector establishments. BLS collects the data from a sample of all private‑sector industry establishments.  In addition, the BLS survey collects information on the demographics and circumstances of a sample of the injuries and illnesses that required recuperation away from work. The BLS survey is used to generate aggregate statistics on occupational injuries and illnesses at the state and national levels. However, the BLS Survey does not provide the establishment-specific data that OSHA needs.

What can an establishment do if it receives surveys from both OSHA and BLS?

Because OSHA collects data from all establishments that meet certain criteria (e.g., industry, size group, and injury/illness rate), some of the establishments from which OSHA requires data will also be included in the BLS sample. BLS has estimated that approximately 4 percent of the establishments from which OSHA requires data will also be included in the BLS survey.

The BLS survey is typically mailed in late winter, while the OSHA survey is mailed in June. They are two separate data collections and companies that receive both are required to complete and return both surveys. To alleviate the double burden, these establishments can either complete the OSHA data collection form (OSHA Form 196B) or return a photocopy of pages 1 and 2 of the completed BLS survey form to OSHA.

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