Days after its Cooperative Compliance Program was ruled out in court, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a new Site Specific Targeting Plan (SST) for 2,200 high-hazard workplaces.
Under the plan, worksites with lost workday injury and illness (LWDII) rates higher than 16.0 per 100 full-time workers will be put on a primary inspection list. The national average LWDII rate in 1997 was 3.3. The plan replaces the interim plan the agency implemented last year after its CCP was sidetracked by a lawsuit.
"This plan continues OSHA's emphasis on reducing injuries and illnesses in the workplace," said OSHA administrator Charles Jeffress. "By focusing on worksites with the highest injury and illness rates, we target our resources where they are most needed."
Jeffress said the inspections will be unannounced and comprehensive.
"Workplaces with high injury and illness rates are on notice that they will likely undergo an inspection," he said.
The agency has pledged to inspect all 2,200 workplaces by Dec. 31, 1999. The targeted facilities were culled from a list of 80,000 workplaces that reported workplace injury and illness data to OSHA in 1997.