OSHA announces 'DOL enforcement data 2.0'

Want to know what OSHA's up to these days? Check out the updated online enforcement database. It's part of the agency's commitment to open, transparent enforcement.

Originally created as part of the administration's Open Government Initiative, the site offers public access to the department's enforcement actions. It is "helping to ensure a level playing field for employers who follow the law," according to Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis.

Among the new features are map displays of inspection and violation data from OSHA and its Mine Safety and Health Administration. It allows viewers to see individual inspection records and the enforcement history of a specific company or mine.

Updated information sought to protect tunnel workers (02/04/13)
Redesigning, rotating may reduce musculoskeletal disorders (02/04/13)
Technological advancements allow manikins to test protective clothing (02/04/13)
Cold weather increases risks of carbon monoxide poisoning (03/04/13)
Try weekly plan to increase safety, decrease workplace injuries (04/19/12)

Users can also view agency metrics, perform keyword searches, filter data -- by year, violations or penalties, and export search results or a data set to downloadable formats. There is a 'labs' feature that allows users to create data visualizations and animations using several decades of MSHA data.

"This site aims to make the enforcement data, collected by these agencies in the exercise of their mission, accessible and searchable," according to a message on the site. "It intends, also, to engage you the public in new and creative ways of using this data. It is a work in progress, but it is foremost our invitation to you, the American public, to engage with us, and react to our work by telling us what you think, and what you would like to see here!"

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

September 12, 2011

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