New OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements for 2015

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has updated the Recordkeeping Rule for reporting fatalities and severe injuries. As of January 1, 2015, states under federal OSHA jurisdiction must comply with the new recordkeeping requirements. Twenty-seven states have OSHA-approved state safety and health plans. Organizations located in states that operate their own programs should check with their individual state for the new recordkeeping implementation deadline.

A safety fact sheet recently published by OSHA explains the details of the new reporting requirements.

What am I required to report under the new rule?

Previously, employers had to report the following to OSHA:

• All work-related fatalities
• Work-related hospitalizations of three or more employees

Starting in 2015, employers will have to report the following to OSHA:

• All work-related fatalities
• Work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees
• All work-related amputations
• All work-related losses of an eye

Who is covered by the new rule?

All employers under OSHA jurisdiction must report all work-related fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye to OSHA, even employers who are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records due to company size or industry. 
An amputation is defined as the traumatic loss of
a limb or other external body part. Amputations include a part, such as a limb or appendage, that has been severed, cut off, amputated (either completely or partially); fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. 


How soon must I report a fatality or severe injury or illness?

Employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours of finding out about them. 


Employers only have to report fatalities that occurred within 30 days of a work-related incident.

For any inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss employers must report the incident within 24 hours of learning about it. Employers only have to report an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye that occurs within 24 hours of a work-related incident.

How do I report an event to OSHA?

Employers have three options for reporting the event:

• By telephone to the nearest OSHA Area Office during normal business hours.
• By telephone to the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
• OSHA is developing a new means of reporting events electronically, which will be available soon at www.osha.gov.

Employers reporting a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye to OSHA must report the following information:

• 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 


Employers do not have to report an event if it: 


• Resulted from a motor vehicle accident on
a public street or highway. Employers must report the event if it happened in a construction work zone.
• Occurred on a commercial or public transportation system (airplane, subway, bus, ferry, streetcar, light rail, train).
• Occurred more than 30 days after the work- related incident in the case of a fatality or more than 24 hours after the work-related incident
in the case of an inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.

Employers do not have to report an inpatient hospitalization if it was for diagnostic testing or observation only. An inpatient hospitalization is defined as a formal admission to the inpatient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment.

Employers do have to report an inpatient hospitalization due to a heart attack, if the heart attack resulted from a work-related incident.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the updated reporting requirements, visit OSHA’s webpage on the revised recordkeeping rule at www.osha.gov/ recordkeeping 2014.