OSHA Recordkeeping

Requires employers to record and report work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses –Note: Recording or reporting a work-related injury, illness, or fatality does not mean the the employer or employee was at fault, an OSHA rule has been violated, or that the employee is eligible for workers’ compensation or other benefits. OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping and Workers’ Compensation are independent of each other.

While the 1904 regulation exempts many employers from keeping records at all times, these employers are not exempted from all of the 1904 requirements. All employers are required to report work-related fatalities to OSHA within 8 hours of learning of the incident. Work-related amputations, loss of an eye, or the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours of learning of the incident. Partially exempt employers may need to keep injury and illness records when the government asks them to do so.