By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

EMPLOYERS are required to post a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2006, and this summary must be posted from Feb. 1 to April 30, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA, which is under the U.S. Department of Labor, said in a statement that employers are only required to post OSHA Form 300A, which is the summary, not the OSHA 300 log.
Copies of the OSHA notice are posted on CNMI Department of Labor bulletin boards.
While OSHA does not have readily available data on worker injuries and deaths in the islands, the CNMI-OSHA On-Site Consultation Program earlier said that the most common reasons for accidents are lack of training, knowledge and resources to ensure safety in the workplace.
Companies with no recordable injuries or illnesses in 2006 must post the form with zeroes on the total line. All summaries must be certified by a company executive.
“The form is to be displayed in a common area wherever notices to employees are usually posted,” said OSHA. “A copy of the summary must be made available to employees who move from worksite to worksite, such as construction employees and employees who do not report to any fixed establishment on a regular basis.”
Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in certain industry groups are normally exempt from federal OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping and posting requirements.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, providing training, outreach, and education, establishing partnerships, and encouraging improvement in workplace safety and health.
In the CNMI, major businesses, government agencies and other groups signed an agreement with OSHA called the Northern Marianas Alliance for Safety and Health to promote awareness and knowledge of safety and health, primarily through training and education.
The CNMI-OSHA On-Site Consultation Program, meanwhile, provides consultation service free of charge to eligible small employers in the construction and garment industries.