WASHINGTON (AP) — Large companies would have to commence filing all workplace injury and illness reports electronically so they can be posted online and made available to the public, under new regulations the government proposed Thursday.
Safety advocates said the proposal by the Labor Department would put more pressure on companies to comply with workplace safety rules and allow employees and the public to identify businesses with poor safety records. But business groups contend making the information public could be misleading and intrusive.
David Michaels, head of the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said the changes would provide better access to data for government safety inspectors as well as workers, employers, researchers and the public. That would "encourage earlier abatement of hazards and result in improved programs to reduce workplace hazards and prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities," he said.
OSHA said the change is in line with President Barack Obama's initiative to increase public access to government data. The plan would require companies with more than 250 employees to submit the data electronically on a quarterly basis.
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