The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed a rule that would restore a column on the OSHA Form 300 Log dedicated to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
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Download NowUnder the proposed rule, employers would be required to place a check mark in the MSD column on the OSHA Form 300 Log, instead of the column they currently mark, if a case is an MSD that meets the OSHA recordkeeping regulation's general recording requirements.
The proposed requirements are identical to those contained in the OSHA recordkeeping regulation that was issued in 2001. Prior to 2001, OSHA's injury and illness logs contained a column for repetitive trauma disorders that included noise and MSDs. In 2001, OSHA separated noise and MSDs into two separate columns, but the MSD column was deleted in 2003 before the provision became effective. OSHA is now proposing to restore the MSD column to the OSHA Form 300 Log.
OSHA says the rule would have no effect existing requirements for when and under what circumstances employers must record musculoskeletal disorders on their injury and illness logs.
"Restoring the MSD column will improve the ability of workers and employers to identify and prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders by providing simple and easily accessible information," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. "It will also improve the accuracy and completeness of national work-related injury and illness data."
The proposed rule can be viewed in the January 29, 2010 edition of the Federal Register.