Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Being Underreported by OSHA

In a report released this week, the Government Accountability Office found that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration failed to provide an accurate accounting of the number of work-related injuries and illnesses from 2005-2007.

The agency cited employer pressure that caused a serious underreporting of work-related illnesses and injuries by employers, health professionals and workers, and OSHA's own lax audit process. The report is an indictment of the low priority the Bush administration gave to protecting workers' health and safety.

More than half of the health professionals surveyed by GAO said employers had pressured them to downplay an injury or an illness so it would not have to be reported. Two-thirds said they observed workers expressing fear of being fired or disciplined if they reported an injury or illness. One third said employers had pressured them to provide insufficient treatment to hide or downplay injuries and illnesses.

The GAO also criticized OSHA's auditing process because the agency does not regularly interview workers during workplace illness and injury audits.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said the findings were "alarming" and promised that OSHA would take corrective action.