Skip to main content

Department of Labor logo
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Subscribe
  • YouTube
MENU

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Contact UsFAQA to Z Index
Languages
  • اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ (Arabic)
  • Sinugbuanong Binisayâ (Cebuano)
  • 简体字 (Chinese-Simplified)
  • 繁体字 (Chinese-Traditional)
  • English
  • Français (French)
  • Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • नेपाली (Nepali)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Português (Portuguese (Brazilian))
  • Русский (Russian)
  • Af-Soomaali (Somali)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

  • OSHA
    • OSHA
    • About OSHA
    • Find an OSHA Office
    • State Plans
    • Job Safety and Health Poster
    • Careers
    • Freedom of Information Act
  • Standards
    • Standards
    • Law and Regulations
    • Federal Registers
    • Open for Comment
    • Regulatory Agenda
    • Standard Interpretations
    • Training Requirements by Standard
  • Enforcement
    • Enforcement
    • OSHA Enforcement
    • Annual Inspection Data
  • Topics
      • Topics
      • Employer Help
      • Worker Rights
      • Heat
      • Trenching and Excavation
      • Personal Protective Equipment
      • Fall Prevention
      • Hazard Communication
      • Suicide Prevention
      • By Sector
      • Agriculture
      • Construction
      • Federal Agencies
      • Healthcare
      • Maritime
      • Oil and Gas
      • Warehousing
      • Key Topics
      • Recordkeeping Requirements and Forms
      • Safety and Health Programs
      • Whistleblower Protections
  • HELP AND RESOURCES
      • Help and Resources
      • Data and Statistics
      • Establishment Search
      • Fatality Reports
      • File a Complaint
      • Publications
      • Safety and Health Topics Pages
      • Videos
      • Compliance Assistance
      • Compliance Assistance Specialists
      • Consultation Services
      • Cooperative Programs
      • Small Business Resources
      • Training
      • Training Requirements and Resources
      • Outreach Training Program (10- and 30-hour Cards)
      • Find a Trainer
      • Replace a Card
      • Avoid Card Fraud
      • OSHA Training Institute Education Centers
      • Find a Center
      • Search for Classes
      • Susan Harwood Training Grants
  • NEWS
    • News
    • Federal Registers
    • Newsroom
    • News Releases
    • QuickTakes Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • A to Z Index
Languages
  • اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ (Arabic)
  • Sinugbuanong Binisayâ (Cebuano)
  • 简体字 (Chinese-Simplified)
  • 繁体字 (Chinese-Traditional)
  • English
  • Français (French)
  • Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • नेपाली (Nepali)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Português (Portuguese (Brazilian))
  • Русский (Russian)
  • Af-Soomaali (Somali)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  1. Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management
  2. Recordkeeping FAQ Search
OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements Home
  • What's New
    • Improve Tracking Final Rule
    • Severe Injury Reporting
  • Forms
    • Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Forms 300, 300A, 301
  • Requirements
    • Detailed Guidance for Recordkeeping Rule
    • Q&A Search
    • Letters of Interpretation
  • Related Documents and Information
    • News Releases
    • Federal Registers
    • Employer Safety Incentive and Disincentive Policies and Practices
    • Compliance Directive (CPL 2-00-135)
    • OSHA Recordkeeping contacts
    • Hearing Loss Chart
    • NAM settlement agreement
    • North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
    • Recordkeeping Advisor
    • BLS injury and illness statistics
  • Training
    • Training Module
    • Training Presentations
    • Does OSHA provide training for the general public on recordkeeping requirements?

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.

Search Basics and Hints

Search Basics and Hints:

This search function only returns exact matches from the Question and Answer text. For example, a search on the work 'truck' will return Q & A with the word 'truck' or 'trucking' or 'struck' in them. A search on the word 'truck' with a space in front and behind will only return Q & A with the work 'truck' in it.

If your search does not provide the question and answer you are looking for, try alternative words that may be in found in similar situations. For example, if you search 'cat bite' and find nothing, try 'dog bite' or 'animal bite' instead. Or narrow the search to just 'bite' and see what you get. Also try 'sting' for similar Q & A.

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: 6 records found

Q: An employee is off the worksite for lunch and has an incident that results in injury. The employee is an hourly employee whom gets a paid lunch. Does this then become a recordable since he is on the clock when the injury occurred?

A:

No. The case is not work-related because the employee was not within the work environment and he was not present as a condition of employment or engaged in a work activity.

FAQ ID: 180

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Q: An employee on business travel has checked into his temporary home away from home, and reported to his work location first thing in the morning. At lunch that day, the employee goes to a local restaurant to eat with a coworker. When walking to the restaurant the employee trips on a curb, falls and breaks his wrist. Is this injury required to be recorded?

A:

This is not a work-related or recordable injury as long as the lunch is not considered a work activity directed by the employer. Normally, injuries and illnesses that occur to employees who are off the employer's premises during their lunch break is not a work-related or recordable injury.

FAQ ID: 677

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Q: An employee was going for lunch and sprained his left ankle while rushing and slipping down a staircase in an office building. His reason for rushing is he did not want to keep his colleagues waiting for him. X-ray at hospital showed no fracture and he was given 3 days medical leave to recuperate at home. The staircase was brightly illuminated without any slip hazards. Is this incident considered to be recordable?

A:

This is a work-related and recordable injury. OSHA's no-fault recordkeeping system requires recording work-related injuries and illnesses that occur in the work environment, regardless of the level of employer control or non-control involved. A case is presumed work-related if, and only if, an event or exposure in the work environment is a discernable cause of the injury or illness. The act of slipping down the staircase is a clear event within the work environment that caused the injury, establishing work relatedness. The time needed to recuperate makes the case recordable.

FAQ ID: 659

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Q: An employee went snowmobiling with a customer during lunch. The employee fell off the snowmobile, got injured and is on restricted duty. Since this was a non-business activity and he did it on his own free will (the customer just happened to be with him), should this count as an OSHA recordable injury?

A:

No. Injuries and illnesses occurring outside of the work establishment are only considered work related if the employee is present as a condition of employment or is engaged in a work activity. Because the employee was snowmobiling strictly a personal activity, the case is not work related.

FAQ ID: 695

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Q: Some employees work on an off-Friday. The company furnishes lunch for these occasions. An employee was consuming the lunch while at their work-station, and bit on an olive pit. The employee's tooth was broken. Is this a recordable case?

A:

No. An injury that results solely the from eating, drinking, or preparing food or drink for personal consumption is not considered to be work related, even if the food is provided by the employer. Note, if the employee is made ill by ingesting food contaminated by workplace contaminants (such as lead), or gets food poisoning from food supplied by the employer, the case would be considered work-related.

FAQ ID: 698

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Q: Two office workers go off site from the office to have lunch. While there personal vehicle is waiting at a near-by red light, they are struck by another vehicle. The employees were examined at the ER and released. One employee received prescription strength medication. Should this injury be recorded?

A:

The automobile accident is not work-related and the injury is not recordable. Injuries and illnesses that occur to employees who are not in the work environment and are not engaged in work activities "in the interest of the employer" are not considered work related.

FAQ ID: 660

Source: OSHA e-correspondence


Department of Labor logo
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety & Health Administration

200 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20210

800-321-6742 (OSHA)

TTY

www.OSHA.gov

Federal Government

  • White House
  • Severe Storm and Flood Recovery Assistance
  • Disaster Recovery Assistance
  • DisasterAssistance.gov
  • USA.gov
  • No Fear Act Data
  • U.S. Office of Special Counsel

Occupational Safety & Health

  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • A - Z Index
  • Freedom of Information Act - OSHA
  • Read The OSHA Newsletter
  • Subscribe to the OSHA Newsletter
  • OSHA Publications
  • Office of Inspector General

About This Site

  • Freedom of Information Act - DOL
  • Privacy & Security Statement
  • Disclaimers
  • Important Web Site Notices
  • Plug-ins Used by DOL
  • Accessibility Statement