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Do I need to fill out the OSHA Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses?
What do I need to comply with the new recordkeeping requirements?
What should I do if there is a fatality or catastrophe at my work site?
How will the new requirements differ from the previous requirements?

What kind of assistance will OSHA be providing to help me comply with the new requirement?

Do I need to fill out the OSHA Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses?
Employers now have a new system for tracking workplace injuries and illnesses. OSHA's new recordkeeping log is easier to understand and to use. Written in plain language using a question and answer format, the revised recordkeeping rule answers questions about recording occupational injuries and illnesses and explains how to classify particular cases. Flowcharts and checklists make it easier to follow the recordkeeping requirements. What has changed? The new rule: Offers flexibility by letting employers computerize injury and illness records; Updates three recordkeeping forms: OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses); simplified and reformatted to fit legal size paper. [Download Recordkeeping Forms] OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report); includes more data about how the injury or illness occurred. OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses); separate form created to make it easier to calculate incidence rates; Continues to exempt smaller employers (employers with 10 or fewer employees) from most requirements; Changes the exemptions for employers in service and retail industries; Clarifies the definition of workrelationship, limiting the recording of pre-existing cases and adding new exceptions for some categories of injury and illness; Includes new definitions of medical treatment, first aid, and restricted work to simplify recording decisions; Eliminates different criteria for recording work-related injuries and work-related illnesses; one set of criteria will be used for both; Changes the recording of needlestick injuries and tuberculosis; Simplifies the counting of days away from work, restricted days and job transfer; Improves employee involvement and provides employees and their representatives with access to the information; and Protects privacy for injured and ill workers. Simplified, clearer definitions also make it easier for employers to determine which cases must be recorded. Posting an annual summary of workplace injuries and illnesses for a longer period of time improves employee access to information, and as employees learn how to report workplace injuries and illnesses, their involvement and participation increase. Which recordkeeping requirements apply to me? Reporting fatalities and catastrophes: All employers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-596) must report to OSHA any workplace incident resulting in a fatality or the in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees within 8 hours. Keeping injury and illness records: If you had 10 or fewer employees during all of the last calendar year or your business is classified in a specific low-hazard retail, service, finance, insurance, or real estate industry, you do not have to keep injury and illness records unless the Bureau of Labor Statistics or OSHA informs you in writing that you must do so. How can I tell if I am exempt? OSHA uses the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code to determine which establishments must keep records. You can search for SIC Codes by keywords or by four-digit SIC to retrieve descriptive information of specific SICs in OSHA's online North American Industry Classification System Search, available on OSHA's website at: http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/naics-manual.html. Establishments classified in the following SICs are exempt from most of the recordkeeping requirements, regardless of size: 525 Hardware Stores 542 Meat and Fish Markets 544 Candy, Nut, and Confectionary Stores 545 Dairy Products Stores 546 Retail Bakeries 549 Miscellaneous Food Stores 551 New and Used Car Dealers 552 Used Car Dealers 554 Gasoline Service Stations 557 Motorcycle Dealers 56 Apparel and Accessory Stores 573 Radio, Television, and Computer Stores 58 Eating and Drinking Places 591 Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores 592 Liquor Stores 594 Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores 599 Retail Stores, Not Elsewhere Classified 60 Depository Institutions (Banks and Savings Institutions) 61 Nondepository Institutions (Credit Institutions) 62 Security and Commodity Brokers 63 Insurance Carriers 64 Insurance Agents, Brokers, and Services 653 Real Estate Agents and Managers 654 Title Abstract Offices 67 Holding and Other Investment Offices 722 Photographic Studios, Portrait 723 Beauty Shops 724 Barber Shops 725 Shoe Repair and Shoeshine Parlors 726 Funeral Service and Crematories 729 Miscellaneous Personal Services 731 Advertising Services 732 Credit Reporting and Collection Services 733 Mailing, Reproduction, and Stenographic Services 737 Computer and Data Processing Services 738 Miscellaneous Business Services 764 Reupholstery and Furniture Repair 78 Motion Picture 791 Dance Studios, Schools, and Halls 792 Producers, Orchestras, Entertainers 793 Bowling Centers 801 Offices and Clinics of Medical Doctors 802 Offices and Clinics of Dentists 803 Offices of Osteopathic Physicians 804 Offices of Other Health Practitioners 807 Medical and Dental Laboratories 809 Health and Allied Services, Not Elsewhere Classified 81 Legal Services 82 Educational Services (Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Libraries) 832 Individual and Family Services 835 Child Day Care Centers 839 Social Services, Not Elsewhere Classified 841 Museums and Art Galleries 86 Membership Organizations 87 Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management, and Related Services 899 Services, Not Elsewhere Classified What do I have to do if I am not exempt? Employers not exempt from OSHA's recordkeeping requirements must prepare and maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses. You need to review Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1904-"Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses," to see exactly which cases to record. * Use the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300) to list injuries and illnesses and track days away from work, restricted, or transferred. * Use the Injury and Illness Report (Form 301) to record supplementary information about recordable cases. You can use a workers' compensation or insurance form, if it contains the same information. * Use the Summary (Form 300A) to show totals for the year in each category. The summary is posted from February 1 to April 30 of each year. What's so important about recordkeeping? Recordkeeping is a critical part of an employer's safety and health efforts for several reasons: Keeping track of work-related injuries and illnesses can help you prevent them in the future. Using injury and illness data helps identify problem areas. The more you know, the better you can identify and correct hazardous workplace conditions. You can better administer company safety and health programs with accurate records. As employee awareness about injuries, illnesses, and hazards in the workplace improves, workers are more likely to follow safe work practices and report workplace hazards. OSHA compliance officers can rely on the data to help them properly identify and focus on injuries and illnesses in a particular area. The agency also asks about 80,000 establishments each year to report the data directly to OSHA, which uses the information as part of its site-specific inspection targeting program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also uses injury and illness records as the source data for the Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses that shows safety and health trends nationwide and industrywide. How can I get more information on recordkeeping? The full preamble and text of the new rule is available online. You can find it by searching the Index on OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov. You can also receive a copy of the regulation from OSHA's Office of Publications, P.O. Box 37535, Washington, DC 20013-7535; phone (202) 693-1888 . If your workplace is in a state operating under an OSHA-approved plan, state plan recordkeeping regulations, although similar to federal ones, may have some more stringent or supplemental requirements such as reporting fatalities and catastrophes. Industry exemptions may also differ. For further information and assistance, you may call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA. Teletypewriter (TTY) number is 1-877- 889-5627. Also visit OSHA's website at www.osha.gov to get contact information for the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming. In other states, contact the nearest OSHA Regional Office listed here and ask for the recordkeeping coordinator: Atlanta .......................... (404... Boston .......................... (617... Chicago ........................ (312... Dallas ........................... (214... Denver .......................... (303... Kansas City ................... (816... New York ...................... (212... Philadelphia .................. (215) 8... San Francisco ................ (415... Seattle .......................... (206... U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA 3169 2001
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What do I need to comply with the new recordkeeping requirements?
Regulatory Text Search: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand.display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_part_number=1904 Record Keeping Policy and Procedures: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3205 OSHA 300 form and instructions (see link below)
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What should I do if there is a fatality or catastrophe at my work site?
CONTACT OSHA EMERGENCY NOTICE: If you have an EMERGENCY (EX: to report a fatality or imminent life threatening situation) -- Please contact our toll free number immediately: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)... TTY 1-877-889-5627 DO NOT SEND EMAIL. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SERVICE DISRUPTIONS and SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE If you are experiencing a disruption in service, please check these notices before filing an error report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TO REPORT ACCIDENTS, UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS, OR SAFETY & HEALTH VIOLATIONS: Contact the OSHA Office nearest you, see map of offices, or, contact our toll free number: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)... TTY 1-877-889-5627 . TO OBTAIN A COMPLAINT FORM, locate information regarding your rights and obligations as a worker, locate information about your employer's rights and obligations, or to file an OSHA-7 report online, see the OSHA Workers' Page. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR PUBLICATIONS: To view, download and order publications, forms, or the OSHA poster. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DO YOU HAVE WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH RELATED QUESTIONS?: Before sending us your question, please check the OSHA Web Site first. Answers to many of your questions can be found on the website. First, try the Subject Index. If you do not find the topic you are looking for, please try the Full Site Search and enter a few keywords to see if your question is covered on the site. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IF YOU HAVE WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH RELATED QUESTIONS: [By Phone]: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) {Toll Free U.S.} [Write To: (required for an Official Agency Response*)] [DOMESTIC ONLY] U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration 200 Constitution Avenue Washington, D.C. 20210 [INTERNATIONAL]: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA Coordinator for International Affairs Occupational Safety & Health Administration - Room N3641 200 Constitution Avenue Washington, D.C. 20210 [Email (By Electronic Mail Form*)]: You may complete an online electronic submission form: * Responses to the Electronic Mail Forms are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute an official communication of the U.S. Department of Labor or OSHA. For an official response, please send your inquiry in writing to the one of the above. ________________________________________________ CFR-29 (Reporting Requirements) Regulations (Standards - 29 CFR) Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA. - 1904.39 ------------------------------------------------- ? Part Number: 1904 ? Part Title: Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illness ? Subpart: E ? Subpart Title: Reporting Fatality, Injury and Illness Information to the Government ? Standard Number: 1904.39 ? Title: Reporting fatalities and multiple hospitalization incidents to OSHA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1904.39(a) Basic requirement. Within eight (8) hours after the death of any employee from a work-related incident or the in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees as a result of a work-related incident, you must orally report the fatality/multiple hospitalization by telephone or in person to the Area Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, that is nearest to the site of the incident. You may also use the OSHA toll-free central telephone number, 1-800-321-OSHA ( 1-800-321-6742 ). 1904.39(b) Implementation. 1904.39(b)(1) If the Area Office is closed, may I report the incident by leaving a message on OSHA's answering machine, faxing the area office, or sending an e-mail? No, if you can't talk to a person at the Area Office, you must report the fatality or multiple hospitalization incident using the 800 number. 1904.39(b)(2) What information do I need to give to OSHA about the incident? You must give OSHA the following information for each fatality or multiple hospitalization incident: 1904.39(b)(2)(i) The establishment name; 1904.39(b)(2)(ii) The location of the incident; 1904.39(b)(2)(iii) The time of the incident; 1904.39(b)(2)(iv) The number of fatalities or hospitalized employees; 1904.39(b)(2)(v) The names of any injured employees; 1904.39(b)(2)(vi) Your contact person and his or her phone number; and 1904.39(b)(2)(vii) A brief description of the incident. 1904.39(b)(3) Do I have to report every fatality or multiple hospitalization incident resulting from a motor vehicle accident? No, you do not have to report all of these incidents. If the motor vehicle accident occurs on a public street or highway, and does not occur in a construction work zone, you do not have to report the incident to OSHA. However, these injuries must be recorded on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you are required to keep such records. 1904.39(b)(4) Do I have to report a fatality or multiple hospitalization incident that occurs on a commercial or public transportation system? No, you do not have to call OSHA to report a fatality or multiple hospitalization incident if it involves a commercial airplane, train, subway or bus accident. However, these injuries must be recorded on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you are required to keep such records. 1904.39(b)(5) Do I have to report a fatality caused by a heart attack at work? Yes, your local OSHA Area Office director will decide whether to investigate the incident, depending on the circumstances of the heart attack. 1904.39(b)(6) Do I have to report a fatality or hospitalization that occurs long after the incident? No, you must only report each fatality or multiple hospitalization incident that occurs within thirty (30) days of an incident. 1904.39(b)(7) What if I don't learn about an incident right away? If you do not learn of a reportable incident at the time it occurs and the incident would otherwise be reportable under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, you must make the report within eight (8) hours of the time the incident is reported to you or to any of your agent(s) or employee(s). [66 FR 6133, Jan. 19, 2001]
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How will the new requirements differ from the previous requirements?
MAJOR CHANGES TO OSHA'S RECORDKEEPING RULE This document provides a list of the major changes from OSHA's old 1904 recordkeeping rule to the new rule employers will begin using in 2002. This list summarizes the major differences between the old and new recordkeeping rules to help people who are familiar with the old rule to learn the new rule quickly. Scope The list of service and retail industries that are partially exempt from the rule has been updated. Some establishments that were covered under the old rule will not be required to keep OSHA records under the new rule and some formerly exempted establishments will now have to keep records. (�1904.2) The new rule continues to provide a partial exemption for employers who had 10 or fewer workers at all times in the previous calendar year. (�1904.1) Forms The new OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) has been simplified and can be printed on smaller legal-sized paper. The new OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) includes more data about how the injury or illness occurred. The new OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) provides additional data to make it easier for employers to calculate incidence rates. Maximum flexibility has been provided so employers can keep all the information on computers, at a central location, or on alternative forms, as long as the information is compatible and the data can be produced when needed. (�1904.29 and �1904.30) Work related A "significant" degree of aggravation is required before a preexisting injury or illness becomes work-related. (�1904.5(a)) Additional exceptions have been added to the geographic presumption of work relationship; cases arising from eating and drinking of food and beverages, blood donations, exercise programs, etc. no longer need to be recorded. Common cold and flu cases also no longer need to be recorded. (�1904.5(b)(2)) Criteria for deciding when mental illnesses are considered work-related have been added. (�1904.5(b)(2)) Sections have been added clarifying work relationship when employees travel or work out of their home. (�1904.5(b)(6) and �1904.5(b)(7)) Recording criteria Different criteria for recording work-related injuries and work-related illnesses are eliminated; one set of criteria is used for both. (The former rule required employers to record all illnesses, regardless of severity). (�1904.4) Employers are required to record work-related injuries or illnesses if they result in one of the following: death; days away from work; restricted work or transfer to another job; medical treatment beyond first aid; loss of consciousness; or diagnosis of a significant injury/illness by a physician or other licensed health care professional. (�1904.7(a)) New definitions are included for medical treatment and first aid. First aid is defined by treatments on a finite list. All treatment not on this list is medical treatment. (�1904.7(b)(5)) The recording of "light duty" or restricted work cases is clarified. Employers are required to record cases as restricted work cases when the injured or ill employee only works partial days or is restricted from performing their "routine job functions" (defined as work activities the employee regularly performs at least once weekly). (�1904.7(b)(4)) Employers are required to record all needlestick and sharps injuries involving contamination by another person's blood or other potentially infectious material. (�1904.8) Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are treated like all other injuries or illnesses: they must be recorded if they result in days away, restricted work, transfer to another job, or medical treatment beyond first aid. Special recording criteria are included for cases involving the work-related transmission of tuberculosis or medical removal under OSHA standards. (�1904.9 and �1904.11) Day counts The term "lost workdays" is eliminated and the rule requires recording of days away, days of restricted work, or transfer to another job. Also, new rules for counting that rely on calendar days instead of workdays are included. (�1904.7(b)(3)) Employers are no longer required to count days away or days of restriction beyond 180 days. (�1904.7(b)(3)) The day on which the injury or illness occurs is not counted as a day away from work or a day of restricted work. (�1904.7(b)(3) and �1904.7(b)(4)) Annual Summary Employers must review the 300 Log information before it is summarized on the 300A form. (�1904.32(a)) The new rule includes hours worked data to make it easier for employers to calculate incidence rates. (�1904.32(b)(2)) A company executive is required to certify the accuracy of the summary. (�1904.32(b)(3)) The annual summary must be posted for three months instead of one. (�1904.32(b)(6)) Employee involvement Employers are required to establish a procedure for employees to report injuries and illnesses and to tell their employees how to report. (�1904.35(a)) The new rule informs employers that the OSH Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who do report. (�1904.36) Employees are allowed to access the 301 forms to review records of their own injuries and illnesses. (�1904.35(b)(2)) Employee representatives are allowed to access those parts of the OSHA 301 form relevant to workplace safety and health. (�1904.35(b)(2)) Protecting privacy Employers are required to protect employee's privacy by withholding an individual's name on Form 300 for certain types of sensitive injuries/illnesses (e.g., sexual assaults, HIV infections, mental illnesses, etc.). (�1904.29(b)(6) to �1904.29(b)(8)) Employers are allowed to withhold descriptive information about sensitive injuries in cases where not doing so would disclose the employee's identity. (�1904.29(b)(9)) Employee representatives are given access only to the portion of Form 301 that contains information about the injury or illness, while personal information about the employee and his or her health care provider is withheld. (�1904.35(b)(2)) Employers are required to remove employees' names before providing injury and illness data to persons who do not have access rights under the rule. (�1904.29(b)(10)) Reporting information to the government Employers must call in all fatal heart attacks occurring in the work environment. (�1904.39(b)(5)) Employers do not need to call in public street motor vehicle accidents except those in a construction work zone. (�1904.39(b)(3)) Employers do not need to call in commercial airplane, train, subway or bus accidents. (�1904.39(b)(4)) Employers must provide records to an OSHA compliance officer who requests them within 4 hours. (�1904.40(a)) _______________________________________________ Side by Side Comparisions - http://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/RKside-by-side.html
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What kind of assistance will OSHA be providing to help me comply with the new requirement?
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