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What Is the OSHA DART Rate?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, regulates safety in workplaces throughout the U.S. Part of its regulations hold employers somewhat accountable for workplace accidents by requiring incident reports. The OSHA DART rate is an incidence rate that OSHA has employers compute and compare to national averages.

  1. Identification

    • According to OSHA, the DART rate is a number calculated from data about "days away from work, restricted work or job transfer injury and illness." Employers report this number to OSHA, and OSHA sends letters to employers with high incidence rates. The letters give employers tips on how to keep workplaces safe.

    OSHA Form 300A

    • Employers calculate DART rates from numbers that they fill in on OSHA Form 300A. Form 300A asks for various numbers, including the number of workplace deaths, the number of cases that had to take days away from work, the number of cases that had to transfer jobs or restrict job duties, the number of other reportable incident cases, the number of days away from work and the number of days of job transfer or restriction.

    DART Rate Formula

    • Employers calculate the DART incidence rate by adding the total number of cases with days away from work (column H on OSHA Form 300A) and the total number of cases with job transfer or restriction (column I on OSHA Form 300A). To get the DART rate, employers must divide this sum by the number of hours worked by all employees and multiply it by 200,000 hours. Employers can also use the same formula to calculate other incidence rates by substituting different values from Form 300A.

    DART Rate Use

    • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics collects incidence rate surveys and publishes incidence rates for different types of problems. Employers can find these rates online, and compare their own workplace rates with national and regional averages. OSHA also uses DART Rates to identify workplaces where employees sustain the most injuries and illnesses. OSHA contacts employers at high-risk locations to try and help them make their workplace safe. These types of statistics help OSHA know where stricter regulations might help keep workers safer.

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