July 29, 2022
MEMORANDUM FOR : Reviewer of 1220-0045
FROM : Tiffany Pinkney, Chief
Division of Collection and Review
Office of Safety and Health Statistics
Office of Compensation and Working Conditions
Bureau of Labor Statistics
SUBJECT : Nonsubstantive change request for the Survey of Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses for Reference
Year (RY) 2022
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) seeks approval for nonsubstantive and de minimus updates to forms, letters, fax forms, and email messages for the upcoming RY 2022 collection cycle and RY 2023 Prenotification of the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). All changes being requested are to clarify instructions, no updates or changes to the survey questions or content are being made.
De minimus updates:
All data collection forms, letters, fax forms, and email messages were updated to reflect the 2022 survey collection year. All pre-notification forms, letters, and email messages were updated to the 2023 reference year.
The data chart was updated to reflect the most recently published 2020 data. (Item 5).
Nonsubstantive updates to the forms and letters include:
Added consistent language on all blank case forms clarifying that respondents need only report 8 cases of the total number of cases with days away from work and days of job restriction or transfer they had in the calendar year. (Items 1, 2, 3, SY2022 Long Form)
“We have designed this survey to ensure that you do not have to report more than 8 cases. If you have more than 8 cases, please contact the office whose number appears on the front of the survey form.”
Clarified language for respondents who must report both to OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application (ITA) and to the BLS SOII. (Item 000- 2022 SOII instruction sheet - Mandatory, Items 16, 17, and 18)
Old statement:
Some establishments must also submit data to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Completing the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses does not fulfill the OSHA reporting requirement.
New statement:
Some establishments must also submit data to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Submitting data to OSHA does not fulfill the requirement to complete the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
Nonsubstantive updates to fax forms include:
Added the individual state email addresses to allow respondents to email the form back (Item 25 and AL Fax Form). Item 24 is a generic fax form used in our last nonresponse mailing to nonrespondents nationwide; no individual state email addresses will be on this form.
Added consistent language on all blank case forms clarifying that respondents need only report 8 cases of the total number of cases with days away from work and days of job restriction or transfer they had in the calendar year. (Items 24, 25, AL Fax Form)
“We have designed this survey to ensure that you do not have to report more than 8 cases. If you have more than 8 cases, please contact the office whose number appears on the front of the survey form.”
Changes to email collection messages:
Respondents selected to participate in the SOII may choose to receive initial notifications via email in lieu of postal notifications. Subsequent nonresponse follow-up has thus far relied on additional postal mailings. Beginning with the RY 2022 SOII collection, email notifications will be used in addition to the traditional postal mailings for nonrespondents that have previously indicated a preference for email notifications (i.e., these nonrespondents will receive both email and postal notifications).
We are requesting minor language changes to the previously approved email messages to tailor these to subsequent nonresponse emails that will be sent.
The changes are described below.
For all email messages, the phrase below was added to help respondents locate a second email.
“Please check your spam/junk folders if you cannot locate this second email containing the attachment password.”
Clarified language for respondents who must report both to OSHA’s ITA and to the BLS SOII Survey. (Mandatory respondent emails only)
Note that OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA) is independent of the SOII. Some employers who are required to report to both OSHA and the SOII may be able to transfer their OSHA ITA submission into the SOII. Follow on-screen instructions to do so when reporting for the SOII.
Updated language in nonresponse emails to be consistent with language included in nonresponse letters sent via postal mail. (1st Non-response email – Mandatory respondent only)
Current:
As you were notified in December 2020, the establishment(s) listed in the attached PDF was (were) selected to participate in the 2021 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII).
Under Public Law 91-596, all establishments that receive this survey must complete and return it, even if they had no work-related injuries and illnesses during 2021.
Proposed:
In January of this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) emailed you a 2022 survey package requiring your company’s participation in the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The entire report should have been completed and returned within 30 days. As of the date of this email, our records show your data have not been received and are delinquent.
Public Law 91-596 mandates your participation in this survey. Under Public Law 91-596, all establishments that receive this survey must complete and return it, even if they had no work-related injuries and illnesses during 2022.
For the 2nd Nonresponse email, the changes listed above are modified to state: “In January and again in March of this year” at the beginning of the email to reflect this being a second request. (2nd Non-response email – Mandatory respondent only)
For the Voluntary emails, language will be added to reflect the respondents’ nonresponse to the Survey. (1st Non-response email – Voluntary respondents)
In January of this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sent you a 2022 survey package requesting your participation in the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). The establishment(s) listed in the attached PDF was (were) selected to participate in the 2022 SOII. We requested that you respond within 30 days and our records show that we have not yet received your response.
While your participation is voluntary, it is important in providing information that will help protect workers. Your participation in our survey is essential for understanding the nature and frequency of work-related injuries and illnesses in your industry.
For the 2nd Nonresponse email, the changes listed are modified to state: “In January and again in March of this year” at the beginning of the email to reflect this being a second request. (2nd Non-response email – Voluntary respondents)
These changes will aid survey nonresponse efforts by clarifying information for SOII respondents and are not expected to have an impact on respondent burden. If you have any questions about this request, please contact Tiffany Pinkney by telephone at 202-691-6218 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Attachments:
Collection mandatory 2022 email
Collection voluntary 2022 email
Prenote mandatory 2023 email
Prenote voluntary 2023 email
1st Non-response email – Mandatory respondent
1st Non-response email – Voluntary respondent
2nd Non-response email – Mandatory respondent
2nd Non-response email – Voluntary respondent
Item 000 - 2022 SOII instructions sheet - Mandatory
Item 000 - 2022 SOII instructions sheet – Voluntary
Item 1 – 2022 SOII Spanish Data Collection Book
Item 5 – 2023 Prenote Leaflet
Item 15 – IDCF – instructions 2022
Item 16- 2022 Internet pamphlet
Item 17 – Non-Response letter 1 2022 w Marika
Item 18 - Non-Response letter 2_2022 w Marika with fax option.docx
Item 19 – Voluntary Public Sector Letter for Pre-Notification 2023 w Marika
Item 20 – Voluntary Public Sector Letter for data collection 2022 w Marika
Item 21 – Voluntary Public Sector Letter for NR1 2022 w Marika
Item 22 - Voluntary Public Sector Letter for NR2_2022 w Marika with fax option
Item 23 – Mandatory Letter for Pre-Notification 2023 w Marika
Item 24 - Fax form English 2022 generic
Item 25 - Fax form PR 2022
AL_2022 Fax Form
SOII_SY2022_Long_Form
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Stephens, Shane - BLS |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2023-08-02 |