What is a good DART rate for my industry?

A good DART rate falls below the Bureau of Labor Statistics average for the relevant NAICS industry code. Manufacturing averages roughly 1.0 to 1.8, construction roughly 1.5 to 2.0, and finance as low as 0.2 to 0.5. A rate of 0.0 is the ideal target and reflects zero days-away, restricted, or transfer incidents during the measured period. Comparing results to the most recent BLS annual survey data provides the most accurate and current benchmark for any organization.

How do you calculate the DART rate step by step?

To calculate the DART rate: first, count all recordable cases from OSHA Form 300 that involved days away from work (Column H) or restricted work and job transfer (Column I) to get the DART case total. Second, sum all actual hours worked by every employee during the calendar year from OSHA Form 300A. Third, multiply DART cases by 200,000. Fourth, divide that product by total hours worked. For example, 5 DART cases divided into 400,000 total hours yields a DART rate of 2.5.

What is the difference between DART rate and TRIR?

The Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) counts every OSHA-recordable case, including those resolved with medical treatment beyond first aid only. The DART rate counts only the more serious subset: cases involving days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer. Because DART cases are always a subset of all recordable cases, the DART rate is equal to or lower than the TRIR for the same period. Both metrics use the identical 200,000-hour base and draw data from OSHA Form 300.

What does DART stand for in workplace safety?

DART stands for Days Away, Restricted, or Transfer. Each component represents a category of serious work-related outcome: Days Away refers to cases where an employee misses scheduled workdays entirely; Restricted means the employee returns but performs only modified or light duties; Transfer means the employee moves to a different job role because of the work-related injury or illness. OSHA uses this acronym to identify the subset of recordable incidents with the greatest operational and human impact on a workforce.

How do I find DART cases on OSHA Form 300?

On OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), DART cases appear as checkmarks in Column H (Days Away from Work) and Column I (Job Transfer or Restriction). Each checked entry in either column for a recordable case counts as one DART case. Add all checked entries across both columns to get the annual DART case total. This combined figure transfers to OSHA Form 300A for the annual summary and feeds directly into electronic reporting via OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA).

Can a small company with fewer than 100 employees use the DART rate formula?

Yes. The 200,000-hour normalization base exists precisely so organizations of any size can produce a comparable, standardized figure. A 10-employee business with 20,000 actual hours worked simply applies the same formula: DART cases multiplied by 200,000, then divided by 20,000. The result benchmarks directly against BLS industry averages. However, rates derived from very small workforces can fluctuate significantly with even a single incident, so year-over-year trends and multi-year averages provide more meaningful insight than any single-year figure.

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Dart Rate Calculator

Calculate DART Rate — OSHA's key safety metric for days away, restricted, or transfer incidents — per 100 FTE employees using actual hours worked.

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DART Rate (per 100 FTE)—per 100 FTE

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