Note to Reviewer

September 8, 2011

MEMORANDUM FOR : Reviewer of 1220-0045

FROM : Beth Rogers, Chief

Division of Safety and Health Statistics

Office of Compensation and Working Conditions

Bureau of Labor Statistics

SUBJECT : Changes to Collection Forms for the Survey of
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

In January 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will begin using revised collection forms for the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) to accommodate the collection of job transfer or restriction cases. The revisions clarify instructions and request one additional data point. OMB was notified of these upcoming changes in the most recent clearance package approved on October 7, 2010.

The SOII Data Collection Booklet has been altered for 2011 to reduce the number of case pages provided and to change the language of the case page title. The booklet has been altered to include instructions for selected respondents to report days of job transfer or restriction cases. Employers are currently required to maintain records for days of job transfer or restriction data on OSHA recordkeeping forms but BLS had not previously requested that employers copy this information onto SOII collection forms. The BLS is maintaining the ceiling for case reporting, and this change will not add to the total number of cases employers report. As these data are already recorded by employers and will only need to be copied to SOII collection forms for employers reporting cases with days away from work, they do not represent an increased burden on the part of survey respondents. Inclusion of this data point will provide greater detail for BLS in reporting on workplace safety and health.

The BLS also has made changes to the materials included in the SOII IDCF First Mailing in order to increase mailing efficiency and make reporting easier for respondents. The changes are detailed below:

Prenote Leaflet

• Mailing label information has been moved to accommodate a new envelope layout.

Internet Pamphlet

• Chart will be updated with more recent data.

Internet Instructions Sheet

• Options to Report Your Data section has been changed for respondents asked to provide DJTR information. For these respondents, this section adds instructions to clarify the data to report, outlines the process of requesting alternate reporting methods, and removes the instruction on how to request the electronic fillable option. Use of the electronic fillable form has diminished significantly and can no longer support case reporting for both days away from work and days of job transfer or restriction.

• Option 1: Use the Internet section has been altered to include the BLS logo in the example to clarify the location on the label of indicated items.

• Option 2: Use a Fillable Form via Email section has been removed for reasons noted above.

Copies of relevant forms have been included with this note to the reviewer. These changes are not expected to have an impact on respondent burden. If you have any questions about this request, please contact Beth Rogers by telephone at 202-691-5098 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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