Union Approach to Health and Safety: - United Steelworkers

What Injuries/Illnesses Must The Employer Record? [1904.4 - 1904.12]
Employers must record all new cases of work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses if
they involve:
death,
days away from work,
restricted work or transfer to another job,
medical treatment beyond first aid,
loss of consciousness, or
a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health
care professional.
According to OSHA, the category of “a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a
physician or other licensed health care professional” includes only diagnosed cases of
injuries/illnesses involving work-related cancer, chronic irreversible diseases such as
silicosis, a fractured or cracked bone, and a punctured eardrum.
According to the rule, “first aid” cases do not have to be recorded on the OSHA 300 Log.
The rule establishes criteria for recording: needlestick and sharps injury cases where
objects are contaminated with another person’s blood or other potentially infectious
material; tuberculosis cases; occupational hearing loss cases; and medical removal cases
under OSHA standards.
Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) cases must be recorded even though the rule contains no
definition of an MSD and there is not a specific place on the 300 Log to designate a case
as an MSD.
The rule also identifies certain injuries and illnesses that, while they may occur at work,
do not have to be recorded on the OSHA 300 Log. These include situations such as an
injury that occurs as a result of an employee choking on a sandwich while at work; an
injury/illness resulting from voluntary participation in a wellness program or recreational
activity; and an injury caused by a motor vehicle accident in a company parking lot while
the employee is commuting to or from work. The rule also clarifies what injuries and
illnesses are recordable and non-recordable when they occur to workers who are on
work-related travel assignments.
Forms Used For Recording Injuries And Illnesses [1904.29]
The following are the forms used to record work-related injuries and illnesses:
OSHA 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses on which the employer
must report injuries and illnesses;
Form 301, Injury and Illness Incident Report, on which the employer must record
detailed information on how each injury or illness case occurred; and
Form 300-A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses for a calendar
year, which the employer must post in the workplace annually.