Significance and Use 4.1 This guide is intended to define work-related injuries and illnesses in a way that can be easily understood and measured across countries. These injuries and illnesses can be used to evaluate, compare, and continually improve management systems and programs related to worker safety and health. Although several levels of severity may be defined, the primary objective is to identify cases with meaningful connection to work and cases with such potential consequence that they have value for prevention purposes. The resultant data and incidence rates should improve global benchmarking consistency. 4.2 This guide defines recording criteria for Level One cases—cases that have a clear connection to the workplace and consequences that are significant for driving injury and illness prevention and efforts. 4.3 While not mandated by this guide, recording of Level Two cases is encouraged and will still be mandatory in many jurisdictions. Level Two cases are those cases currently required to be reported by countries, states, and other jurisdictions.Scope 1.1 This guide is intended to establish definitions and criteria for recording occupational injuries and illnesses to be used for measuring safety performance, evaluating safety program performance, and improving consistency when comparing international performance. A measurement system is desired that is precise and accurate, difficult to manipulate, significant and meaningful for safety program evaluation, and appropriate for accountability purposes in a global environment. 1.2 Objectives of the occupational injury and illness measurement guide are as follows: 1.2.1 Provide a uniform and objective framework for recording work-related injuries and illnesses, 1.2.2 Facilitate use of injury and illness rates as a means of evaluating programs designed to control such injuries and illnesses, and 1.2.3 Establish a basis for meaningful comparison of injury and illness rates across industries and countries. 1.3 In this guide, definitions and procedures necessary to maintain work-related injury and illness records and incidence rates are covered. 1.4 Key elements of this guide include work relationship, definition of injuries and illnesses, levels of severity of occupational incidents, accountability for contractor relationships, and specifications for injury and illness rate calculations. 1.5 Units—The values stated in English (or Imperial) units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only. 1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. This standard is not a substitute for any legally required injury and illness recordkeeping obligations. 1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
