DART Rate Calculator

The Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate measures the number of workplace injuries and illnesses resulting in lost time, job transfer, or restricted duties per 100 full-time employees. The standard OSHA formula scales this data to an equivalent workforce of 100 employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks a year, which equals 200,000 hours.

The mathematical equation used by the calculator is: DART Rate = (Total DART Cases × 200,000) ÷ Total Hours Worked. Here, Total DART Cases represents the combined number of recordable incidents involving days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer. Total Hours Worked is the aggregate number of hours worked by all employees, including part-time and temporary staff, during the specific tracking period.

Imagine a mid-sized manufacturing plant that employs 100 full-time workers over the course of a year. Over this 12-month period, the team logs a total of 200,000 hours worked. During safety audits, management records a total of 4 incidents that resulted in either lost work days, restricted physical duties, or temporary job transfers.

To find the DART rate for this facility, we apply the standard formula: First, multiply the total DART cases by 200,000, which gives 4 × 200,000 = 800,000. Next, divide this product by the total hours worked (200,000). Performing the division yields 800,000 ÷ 200,000 = 2.0. This means the plant has a DART rate of 2.0, indicating that 2 out of every 100 workers experienced a qualifying safety incident during the year.

Accurate recordkeeping is vital when calculating your DART rate. Ensure that you track all hours worked consistently, including overtime and hours worked by temporary staff, rather than just estimating based on standard full-time schedules. Additionally, review OSHA guidelines regularly to correctly classify whether an injury qualifies as a days-away or restricted-duty case before entering your numbers into the calculator.