Bill would require multisite employers to regularly report injuries

An Illinois lawmaker introduced legislation that would require large, multilocation employers to regularly report workplace health and safety information to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Under the Corporate Injury, Illness, and Fatality Reporting Act of 2009, sponsored by Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., employers with more than one establishment and 500 or more employees would be required to accurately report the number and rates of work-related deaths, injuries and illnesses at all of their sites to the DOL. They would also have to provide compliance data regarding Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections and citations that have occurred at any or all of their sites. Reports would be due no less than once every year.

Currently, companies are not required to report injuries unless three or more employees are sent to the hospital for a work-related incident. Hare said this bill, H.R. 2113, would mandate that all injuries are reported for the first time.

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"Regrettably, OSHA is not currently required to conduct nationwide investigations into large companies with multiple establishments," he said. "Serial offenders can hide in the weeds and avoid making their workplaces as safe as possible. This legislation would bring these companies into the light of day and provide OSHA invaluable data so they can protect workers in danger of injury, illness, or worse."

The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

June 18, 2009

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