OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
Many employers with more than 10 employees are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses on OSHA Form 300: “Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses”. (Certain low-risk industries are exempted.) Minor injuries requiring first aid only do not need to be recorded. This information helps employers, workers and OSHA evaluate the safety of a workplace, understand industry hazards, and implement worker protections to reduce and eliminate hazards –preventing future workplace injuries and illnesses.
Maintaining and Posting Records
These records must be maintained at the worksite for at least five years. Each February through April, employers must post a summary of the injuries and illnesses recorded the previous year. Also, if requested, copies of the records must be provided to current and former employees, or their representatives.
Severe Injury Reporting
Employers must report any worker fatality within 8 hours and any amputation, loss of an eye, or hospitalization of a worker within 24 hours.
To Make a Report
• Call the nearest OSHA office
• Call the OSHA 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA)
• Report online: https://www.osha.gov/pls/ser/serform.html
Be prepared to supply: Business name; names of employees affected; location and time of the incident, brief description of the incident; contact person and phone number.
Your Recordkeeping & Reporting
Accurate record keeping can make a big difference in incident rates and the totals that appear on the 300A annual summary.
Being aware of what separates recordables and non-recordables – medical treatment and first aid should not be underestimated. Too many employers record injuries that don’t have to be recorded, skewing their incident rates and making their safety performance appear questionable.
High incidence rates can result in lost contracts, OSHA inspections and increased insurance rates. The attached flow chart will assist with deciding whether the incident should be recorded on your OSHA 300 log.