OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule - Updated

Effective January 1, 2015, OSHA's reporting and recordkeeping rule requirements have changed. The new rule expands the list of employers who are required to routinely keep OSHA records related to injury and illness and expands the list of severe work related injuries that must be reported. All inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye must be reported within 24 hours and work-related fatalities must be reported within 8 hours of learning about an incident. 

What You Need to Know

All work-related fatalities and injuries must be reported to OSHA – a list of included injuries can be found on OSHA's website. You can report an incident to OSHA during or after normal business hours.

Employers reporting any incident should have the following information on hand:

• Establishment name
• Location of the work-related incident
• Time of the work-related incident
• Type of reportable event (i.e., fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye)
• Number of employees who suffered the event
• Names of the employees who suffered the event
• Contact person and his or her phone number
• Brief description of the work-related incident

How to Report

You have three options:

• Call the nearest OSHA office
• Call the 24-hour OSHA hotline (1-800-321-6742)
• Report online beginning in mid-January 2015 

U.S. companies operating in states that conduct their own health and safety programs are advised to research their state plan and determine the date for implementation of new requirements in their area. Read OSHA's Fact Sheet for more detailed information.