The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday announced a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
The rulemaking focuses on the process for assessing civil penalties issued to entities who fail to accurately and timely report injuries of workers who are hurt aboard vessels in U.S. waters.
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act also provides for survivor benefits to dependents whose loved ones are killed because of a work-related injury.
The proposed change would help “clarify the process, provide individualized failure notices and allow additional opportunities to contest penalties,” OSHA stated in a news release.
The change would also help protect the rights of employers and insurers who challenge penalty determinations before final penalties are set, a move designed to help with transparency and fairness, OSHA stated.
The public comment period for the proposed rulemaking change ends Nov. 13.