Injury/Illness Recordkeeping
BASICS
OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping rules can be tricky for employers. But, we're going to make it easy for you!
THE 7 KEY CONCEPTS
1. Find out if your operations are covered
Most employers with more than 10 employees are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. (Certain low-risk industries are exempted.)
2. Workers' comp
OSHA recordkeeping is completely separate from workers' compensation. A case may be recordable but not compensable and vice-versa.
3. There is a geographic presumption of work-relatedness.
If it happened at work, by default, it's work-related, unless one of 9 specific exceptions apply.
4. First-aid vs. Medical Treatment
OSHA has a specific list of what's considered first aid (not recordable). Anything else is "medical treatment" and makes a work-related case recordable.
5. Work-related doesn't equal recordable
A work-related case only becomes recordable if lost time occurs; or there is medical treatment beyond first aid; or restricted work; or loss of consciousness; or significant injury like a broken bone or chipped tooth.
6. There are 3 forms.
Use the Form 300 as the overall log of all injuries and illnesses. The Form 301 is a detailed incident report (you'll have one per case). The form 300A is the annual summary of all injuries.
7. Only certain employers have to submit their summaries to OSHA
If you have 250 or more workers at a site, that site's Form 300A information must be submitted each year to OSHA by March 2, using the Agency's Injury Tracking Application.
The same applies to sites with 20-249 workers in specific high-hazard industries.