Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs and Related Matters; Subpart I for Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is issuing a final rule amending the occupational injury and illness recording and reporting requirements applicable to Federal agencies, including the forms used by Federal agencies to record those injuries and illnesses. The final rule will make the Federal sector's recordkeeping and reporting requirements essentially identical to the private sector by adopting applicable OSHA recordkeeping provisions as requirements for Federal agencies. In addition to eliminating the problems in the existing system whereby injuries and illnesses suffered by some groups of employees, such as contract employees, are not recorded, this final rule will produce more useful injury and illness records, collect better information about the incidence of occupational injuries and illnesses at the establishment level, create reporting and recording criteria that are consistent among Federal agencies, enable injury and illness comparisons between the Federal and private sectors, and promote improved employee awareness and involvement in the recording and reporting of job-related injuries and illnesses. The final rule will also assist in achieving the stated goal in Executive Order 12196 that Federal agencies comply with all OSHA standards, and generally, assure worker protection in a manner comparable to the private sector. This final rule applies to all Federal agencies of the Executive Branch subject to Executive Order 12196, and does not apply to military personnel and uniquely military equipment, systems, and operations. The requirements of this final rule do not diminish or modify in any way a Federal Agency's responsibility to report or record injuries and illnesses as required by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA).