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Restore Leading Zeros in OSHA ITA CSV Files

Repair ZIP, EIN, code, and date values whose leading zeros were removed by spreadsheet software.

Why this happens

Excel may interpret identifiers as numbers. That can turn a five-digit ZIP into four digits or otherwise change fixed-width administrative values.

What RuleTally checks
Administrative checks based on the current published ITA file guidance.
  • ZIP values with the wrong length
  • EIN values that are not exactly nine digits
  • Code fields exported as decimals
  • Dates missing zero-padded month or day values

How to fix it

  1. 01

    Verify the value against the source record.

  2. 02

    Format identifier columns as text before exporting.

  3. 03

    Restore the required zero without adding punctuation.

  4. 04

    Validate the final CSV, not only the spreadsheet view.

Check the whole file locally.

RuleTally shows the row, field, expected format, and official source without uploading the employee file.

Open local preflight

Official references

OSHA Injury Tracking Application information OSHA ITA frequently asked questions

Related guides

OSHA ITA CSV Validator Fix OSHA 300/301 CSV Date Format Errors Multi-Establishment OSHA ITA Filing Checklist