Working America, the Community Affiliate of the AFL-CIO has launched an exciting new web based search tool. The Job Tracker, that allows you to research the records of companies by geographical areas, company name, or industry.
The Data Base links records from OSHA, the NLRA and data on job exports and layoffs due to trade. It provides summary data, from which more detailed information on particularly companies can be accessed.
For OSHA it links the OSHA IMIS inspection data, injury data reported in the OSHA data initiative, and the list of companies with high injury rates who receive warning letters from OSHA as part of the site specific inspection program. Data is from 2000 forward and includes only closed OSHA cases. The initial search by geographic area gives the number of companies that have OSHA violations, fatalities or high injury rates.
The next screen lists the companies by address, and has a summary of total OSHA violations, fatalities, catastrophes, and whether the company is on “OSHA Watch” (surveyed by the OSHA data initiative or receding a letter regarding possible inspection).
On this screen, you can also jump to list of companies by injury rate, which will display the lost-time injury rates for companies for that geographical search area.
From the individual companies, you can access, more detailed information about their inspection history, penalties and violations. This more detailed info includes the OSHA inspection activity number with a link to the inspection file from the OSHA data base.
From the individual company record you can also link to other available data on labor law violations and job exports. Tthe site can be found at: http://www.workingamerica.org/jobtracker/
Additional Information on OSHA Violations
Serious violations:
The Job Tracker information on OSHA violations is from OSHA inspection data for cases closed between Jan. 1, 2000, and Jan. 3, 2003. Information is provided on the number of total violations cited by OSHA, the number of serious violations and total dollar amount of penalties assessed. A serious violation is one where “there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result” from the condition.
Injury and illness rates:
The injury and illness rate data presented in Job Tracker is the rate for cases involving “days away from work, restricted work or job transfer” (DART) rate and covers injury reports to OSHA for the years 2000–2002. (Note: Injury data for the year 2003 are not yet publicly available.)
Other information, such as data related to injury rates, was downloaded from www.opensecrets.org and is based on FOIA requests and lawsuits by The New York Times.
Fatality and catastrophe:
OSHA’s fatality and catastrophe investigation procedures can be found here:
www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3245
Letter Warnings:
Additional Information on OSHA’s Letter Warnings and Companies Identified in Job Tracker on “OSHA Watch”. Each year OSHA identifies and sends letters to nearly 14,000 workplaces with the highest occupational injury and illness rates. The letters urge employers to take action to remove hazards causing the high rates and to notify employers they may be targeted for inspection.
The employers receiving letters are those whose establishments are identified by federal OSHA Data Initiative as reporting the highest “Days Away from work, Restricted work or job Transfer injury and illness” (DART) rate to OSHA.
The most recent letter warnings were sent to employers by OSHA in March 2005 based upon a survey of 2003 injury and illness data. Job Tracker identifies companies who received warning letters from OSHA in the years 2000-2005.
The link to OSHA’s description of the workplaces with high injury rates who receive letters about possible inspections (i.e., workplaces with the highest occupational injury and illness rates) is at: www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_11.html
Lists of companies that received warning letters from OSHA can be found at:
wwww.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/current-foia.html and www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/archive-foia.html
Companies on “OSHA Watch”
The companies identified in Job Tracker on “OSHA Watch” are those companies that were required to report their DART injury and illness rates to OSHA for the years 2000–2002. Companies with the highest DART rates that received warning letters from OSHA during the years 2000–2005 also are identified.
Additional Health and Safety Resources
This OSHA statistics and data website includes details on safety and health by OSHA activity number, company name and other variables:www.osha.gov/oshstats/index.html
The AFL-CIO’s website includes many resources on health and safety on the job and how you can get involved in making workplaces safer:www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/
The AFL-CIO website includes a Safety and Health Toolbox to help you learn your safety and health rights on the job, how to file a complaint with OSHA and more.www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/tools/index.cfm
In April, 2005, the AFL-CIO published a natonal state-by-state profile for worker safety and health in the United States. The summary report is available here: www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/memorial/upload/death_on_the_job_2005_intro.pdf
The full report is available here:
www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/memorial/upload/death_on_the_job_2005.pdf
