Starting July 1, 2018, OSHA began requiring employers to electronically submit work-related injury data for review. The deadline for submission going forward is March 2 annually, which is coming up quickly for 2019.
As meeting this deadline is essential for employers to avoid steep fines, it provides an excellent opportunity for agents to reach out to prospects and offer to educate them on the deadline and how to comply, without asking for anything in return. By doing this you can build positive relationships that can pay off in the future. Prospects will wonder why their current agent didn’t provide them with the information, and will likely think highly of you in the future if you circle back to discuss other ways you can help their business.
Who should you contact?
Ideal prospects to contact about the March 2 OSHA deadline are those that require electronic reporting of injury and illness records using OSHA Form 300A, which are establishments with:
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250+ employees
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20-249 employees classified in industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses
Make sure you are reaching out to prospects who fit these constraints.
Establishments with fewer than 20 employees are required to keep OSHA injury and illness records but do not have to submit information electronically.
Though this requirement was in effect starting last year, OSHA estimates that only half of establishments required to submit data did so. Many employers may not be aware of their need to submit data, or the increased risk of being targeted for a comprehensive OSHA inspection should they fail to submit. You can use the scripts below to reach out to prospects.
Cold call script
Hi [prospect name]. I’m [name] from [agency] and I am reaching out to make sure you are aware of the upcoming March 2nd deadline for compliance with the OSHA electronic reporting requirement. Has your agent talked to you about this?
If prospect says no…
Since you [have over 250 employees/are in X industry], OSHA requires that you submit your OSHA 300A data electronically to their website. This deadline for submission of 2018 data is March 2nd, and employers who miss the deadline could be paying thousands in penalties or be targeted for comprehensive OSHA inspections. I am happy to send you more information on the regulation and how to comply. How does that sound?
If the prospect is already aware of the requirement, still offer to send them some educational resources to help them comply.
Voicemail script
Hi [prospect name]. I’m [name] from [agency] and I am reaching out to make sure you are aware of the upcoming March 2nd deadline for compliance with the OSHA electronic reporting requirement. Since you [have over 250 employees/are in X industry], OSHA requires that you submit your OSHA 300A data electronically to their website. This deadline for submission of 2018 data is March 2nd, and employers who miss the deadline could be paying thousands in penalties or be targeted for comprehensive OSHA inspections. I’m going to email you some educational resources to help you comply.
Email script
Hi [prospect name].
[We just spoke on the phone/I just left you a voicemail] about the upcoming March 2nd deadline to comply with the OSHA reporting requirement.
Here is some more information about the regulation and instructions for electronic submission.
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2019 OSHA Compliance Guidebook
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Infographic visually showing all essential information
I hope you find these resources helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
[Signature]
You can download information to include in this email from the list of resources below.
Important Resources
Use the resources below to educate employers on how to meet the deadline.
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Compliance guidebook with all the information about the rule and how to comply
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Infographic visually displaying all the essential details on the rule, how to comply and potential penalties for noncompliance
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List of employer industries that must comply with the requirement
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Information on how businesses who fail to submit data may be targeted for comprehensive OSHA inspections
Don’t miss this opportunity to build good will with prospects!
