Under-reporting of workplace injuries and even fatalities in the U.S. has been going on for years. OSHA has known of the situation but looked the other way. But now, at long last, the government is acknowledging the problem and taking steps to do something about it.

Garbage In, Garbage Out—Poor Data and Under-Reporting

The under-reporting problem is in some ways the product of the failure of OSHA, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to capture adequate data on workplace injuries and fatalities. According to some estimates, government counts underestimate actual injuries and illnesses by as much as 69%.

One problem is that certain kinds of illnesses and injuries don’t have to be reported.  Another is that the data excludes so many categories of workers, such as the self-employed, farms with fewer than 11 employees, employers regulated by other federal safety and health laws, private household employees and federal, state and local government agencies. These exemptions result in the exclusion of more than 1 in 5 workers from the BLS survey.

Lack of Transparency and Under-Reporting

The lack of transparency has also made the current under-reporting problem worse. Given the importance of the public’s right to know, you’d think that members of the public would have access to statistics on workplace fatalities from any public agency that collects them.

Sadly, however, this hasn’t been the case. Under previous administrations, there were only two divisions of the health department that posted such pertinent data online or made it readily accessible to the general public.

OSHA Moving to Greater Transparency on Injury Statistics

But things are starting to change. As part of an Obama Administration initiative to improve government transparency at all levels, the DOL is implementing a series of changes to provide the public more access to its data. Among other things, the DOL has ordered OSHA to:

• Publish workplace fatality data on its web site;
• Make this data available for easy download; and
• Publish detailed weekly reports online.

The hope is that making this information available will give employers more incentive to prevent fatalities and lead to better overall safety for all workers.

Two other government agencies that provide statistical data about workplace injuries and fatalities have also been ordered to furnish more data online and make it easier for the public to access including via use of   social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. Examples:

• The BLS is upgrading its database and updating its policy on posting data online; and
• The DOL’s Employment and Training Administration website is asking companies and entrepreneurs for input on safety tips and proposed regulatory changes.

Conclusion

The fact that the government has moved to fix the transparency problem by taking steps to improve the way it reports and collects information on workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities is certainly a step in the right direction. But greater access to data will only help to the extent that the data is accurate, complete and reliable. The bad news is that the data inadequacies that cause under-reporting in the first place still aren’t being addressed.  And ultimately, we won’t get an accurate count on workplace incidents until we ensure that all incidents get reported.

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