Recordkeeping FAQ Search | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Use key words to search Q & As on OSHA's injury and illness recordkeeping requirements for employers. From this page you can search a repository of questions and answers from the regulation rule itself as well as from requests for information submitted to the Agency. Simply type any key word(s) into the input field below, then select the Search button to view a list of resulting questions that link to answers. If a search on this page does not answer your question, you can submit your question using OSHA's e-correspondence form.

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Note: Unless the search results indicate that the source for the Q & A is the recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904), the Q & As presented do not themselves impose enforceable recordkeeping or reporting obligations, since such obligations are imposed only by the regulation.

Results: 125 records found

Q: An employee experienced an injury or illness in the work environment before they had "clocked in" for the day. Is the case considered work related even if that employee was not officially "on the clock" for pay purposes?

Yes. For purposes of OSHA recordkeeping injuries and illnesses occurring in the work environment are considered work-related. Punching in and out with a time clock (or signing in and out) does not affect the outcome for determining work-relatedness. If the employee experienced a work-related injury or illness, and it meets one or more of the general recording criteria under section 1904.7, it must be entered on the employer's OSHA 300 log.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 5-11

Source: FAQs

Q: An employee has a work-related shoulder injury resulting in days of restricted work activity. While working on restricted duty, the employee sustains a foot injury which results in a different work restriction. How would the employer record these cases?

For purposes of OSHA recordkeeping the employer would stop the count of the days of restricted work activity due to the first case, the shoulder injury, and enter the foot injury as a new case and record the number of restricted work days. If the restriction related to the second case, the foot injury, is lifted and the employee is still subject to the restriction related to their shoulder injury, the employer must resume the count of days of restricted work activity for that case.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-23

Q: An employee hurts his or her left arm and is told by the doctor not to use the left arm for one week. The employee is able to perform all of his or her routine job functions using only the right arm (though at a slower pace and the employee is never required to use both arms to perform his or her job functions). Would this be considered restricted work?

No. If the employee is able to perform all of his or her routine job functions (activities the employee regularly performs at least once per week), the case does not involve restricted work. Loss of productivity is not considered restricted work.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-4

Source: FAQs

Q: An employee is provided antibiotics for anthrax, although the employee does not test positive for exposure/infection. Is this a recordable event on the OSHA log?

No. A case must involve a death, injury, or illness to be recordable. A case involving an employee who does not test positive for exposure/infection would not be recordable because the employee is not injured or ill.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-24

Q: An employee tests positive for anthrax exposure/infection and is provided antibiotics. Is this a recordable event on the OSHA log?

Yes. Under the most recent Recordkeeping requirements, which will be effective in January 2002, a work-related anthrax exposure/infection coupled with administration of antibiotics or other medical treatment must be recorded on the log. Until the new Recordkeeping requirements become effective, an employer is required to record a work-related illness, regardless of whether medical care is provided in connection with the illness.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-25

Q: An employee's normal shift is 6:00 PM to 2:30 AM. The employee starts his shift at 6:00PM on Monday and sustains a work-related injury at 12:30AM Tuesday. The injury results in the employee going to a physician who excuses the employee from work for Tuesday and allows the employee to return to work at 6:00 PM on Wednesday. Does this case involve days away from work or days of restricted work activity?

Days away from work and days of restricted work activity are determined by calendar days rather than scheduled work shifts. You begin counting days away from work or days of restricted work activity on the day after the injury occurred or the illness began. Because the employee was injured Tuesday and returned to work on the subsequent day, Wednesday, there are no days away from work involved in this scenario. However, because the employee was unable to work part of the workday (Wednesday 12:00 AM to 2:30AM), the injury resulted in one day of restricted work activity.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-29

Q: Are "denied" claims to be logged on the OSHA 300 log of occupational illnesses and injuries?

Many cases that are recorded in the OSHA system are also compensable under the State workers' compensation system, but many others are not. When an injury or illness occurs to an employee, the employer must independently analyze the case in light of both the OSHA recording criteria and the requirements of the State workers' compensation system to determine whether the case is recordable or compensable, or both. Your case must be judged by the criteria of the OSHA recordkeeping rule to determine if it should be placed on the 300 Log. Workers Compensation is not a consideration of whether the case is OSHA recordable or not.

FAQ ID: 105

Source: OSHA e-correspondence

Q: Are cases of workplace violence considered work-related under the new Recordkeeping rule?

The Recordkeeping rule contains no general exception, for purposes of determining work-relationship, for cases involving acts of violence in the work environment. However, some cases involving violent acts might be included within one of the exceptions listed in section 1904.5(b)(2). For example, if an employee arrives at work early to use a company conference room for a civic club meeting and is injured by some violent act, the case would not be work-related under the exception in section 1904.5(b)(2)(v).

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 5-2

Source: FAQs

Q: Are injuries and illnesses recordable if they occurred during employment, but were not discovered until after the injured or ill employee was terminated or retired?

These cases are recordable throughout the five year record retention and updating period contained in section 1904.33. The cases would be recorded on either the log of the year in which the injury or illness occurred or the last date of employment.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 7-20

Q: Are State and local government employers covered by this rule?

No, but they are covered under the equivalent State rule in States that operate OSHA-approved State Plans. State rules must cover these workplaces and require the recording and reporting of work-related injuries and illnesses.

For more information, explore OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements.

FAQ ID: 37-3

Source: FAQs