How to Fix Missing Leading Zeroes in OSHA ITA ZIP Codes
A ZIP code that should start with zero was exported as a shorter number.
What this means
Spreadsheet tools often treat ZIP codes as numbers. That can turn a ZIP like 02139 into 2139, which no longer matches OSHA's expected ZIP format.
Why this happens
- The ZIP column was formatted as a number in Excel or Google Sheets.
- CSV export removed a leading zero because the value was not stored as text.
- Nine-digit ZIP values were exported with dashes or spaces.
How to fix it manually
- Format the ZIP column as text before exporting.
- Restore any missing leading zeroes so five-digit ZIPs have exactly five digits.
- Use either five digits or nine digits with no dash for ITA CSV fields.
- Reopen the CSV in a plain-text editor to confirm the zero is still present.
How ITAReady helps
ITA Ready scans ZIP values for missing digits, dashes, spaces, and likely leading-zero issues before you upload to OSHA.
Related errors
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Fix the file before you upload again
ITA Ready checks common OSHA ITA formatting and validation issues, explains them in plain English, and helps you get to a corrected export faster.