The United Steelworkers (USW) today welcomed the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that underscores the pervasive nature of employer policies, programs and practices that discourage workers from reporting job injuries and illnesses and outlines actions that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should take to address these practices.

The report, “Workplace Safety and Health: Better OSHA Guidance Needed on Safety Incentive Programs,” presents the results of a GAO survey of U.S. manufacturing companies that found that 75% of firms had safety incentive programs or other workplace safety policies that can affect workers’ reporting of injuries and illnesses.

“The USW has long warned and campaigned against workplace programs and policies that discourage workers from reporting job injuries,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “Such programs make employers’ injury rates look good while job hazards go unidentified and uncorrected. We’ve seen far too many tragedies and catastrophes in facilities where employers are playing these numbers games ... more