Recordkeeping Comment Deadline Extended to March 8
OSHA announced Jan. 6 that it has granted a 30-day extension; the National Association of Home Builders asked for 90 more days.
OSHA announced it will extend the comment period to March 8, 2014, on its proposed recordkeeping rule, which already has attracted several negative comments and dozens of requests to participate in or observe OSHA's Jan. 9 public meeting to discuss the rule.
The agency's assistant secretary, Dr. David Michaels, announced the proposed rule on Nov. 7, 2013. It would require establishments with more than 250 employees that are already required to keep injury records to electronically submit them to OSHA on a quarterly basis and establishments with 20 or more employees in industries with high injury and illness rates to submit each year, electronically, their injury and illness logs. Michaels also said OSHA will post the data online, once personally identifying information is removed.
Significant opposition--and some support, as well--appears to be building for the proposed online posting of the data, based on published commentaries and the comments submitted thus far. (They are available by searching for Docket No. OSHA-2013-0023 at www.regulations.gov.)
OSHA's announcement of the extension said it was granted in response to a request from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), however, that association requested a 90-day extension. NAHB also requested that OSHA delay the public meeting until after the comment period ends.