§ 97-81. Blank forms and literature; statistics; safety provisions; accident reports; studies and investigations and recommendations to General Assembly; to cooperate with other agencies for preventio - North Carolina Statutes

§97‑81.  Blank forms and literature; statistics; safety provisions;accident reports; studies and investigations and recommendations to GeneralAssembly; to cooperate with other agencies for prevention of injury.

(a)        The Commissionshall prepare and cause to be printed, and upon request furnish, free of chargeto any employee or employer, such blank forms and literature as it shall deemrequisite to facilitate or prompt the efficient administration of this Article.The Commission may authorize the use of electronic submission of forms andother means of transmittal of forms and notices when it deems appropriate.

(b)        The Commissionshall tabulate the accident reports received from employers in accordance withG.S. 97‑92 and shall publish the same in the annual report of theCommission and as often as it may deem advisable, in such detailed or aggregateform as it may deem best. The name of the employer or employee shall not appearin such publications, and the employers' reports shall be private records of theCommission, and shall not be open for public inspection except for theinspection of the parties directly involved, and only to the extent of suchinterest, and except for inspection by the Department of Labor and other Stateor federal agencies pursuant to subsections (d) and (e) of this section. Thesereports shall not be used as evidence against any employer in any suit at lawbrought by any employee for the recovery of damages.

(c)        The Commissionshall make studies and investigations with respect to safety provisions and thecauses of injuries in employments covered by this Article, and shall from timeto time make to the General Assembly and to employers and carriers suchrecommendations as it may deem proper as to the best means of preventing such injuries.

(d)        In making suchstudies and investigations the Commission shall:

(1)        Cooperate with anyagency of the United States charged with the duty of enforcing any law securingsafety against injury in any employment covered by this Article, or with any Stateagency engaged in enforcing any laws to assure safety for employees, and

(2)        Permit any suchagency to have access to the records of the Commission.

In carrying out the provisionsof this section the Commission or any officer or employee of the Commission isauthorized to enter at any reasonable time upon any premises, tracks, wharf,dock, or other landing place, or to enter any building, where an employmentcovered by this Article is being carried on, and to examine any tool,appliance, or machinery used in such employment.

(e)        The Commissionshall, upon written request from the Commissioner of Labor, provide from theCommission's records the following information from claims filed by employees,and from employer reports of injury to an employee required by G.S. 97‑92:

(1)        Name and businessaddress of the employer;

(2)        Type of business ofthe employer;

(3)        Date the accident,illness, or injury occurred;

(4)        Nature of the injuryor disease reported; and

(5)        Whether compensationfor disability or medical expenses was paid to the injured employee.

Information provided to theCommissioner of Labor pursuant to this subsection, and to other State andfederal agencies pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, shall be privateand exempt from public inspection to the same extent that records of theCommission are so exempt. (1929, c. 120, s. 55; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 894,s. 2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 679, s. 10.2.)