Occupational Health & Safety Alert - Reporting a Serious Injury or Falality to OSHA
By Robin Hendrickson | Published February 1, 2017
All employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a serious work related injury that requires hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.
Federal OSHA regulations
A fatality must be reported within 8 hours. An inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours.
Who is required to report? All employers under OSHA jurisdiction must report these incidents to OSHA, even employers who are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA records due to company size or industry.
How do I report the injury or fatality? Call the nearest OSHA office. Be prepared to supply: Business name; names of employees affected; location and time of the incident, brief description of the incident; contact person and phone number.
How does OSHA define “in-patient hospitalization”? OSHA defines in-patient hospitalization as a formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment. Treatment in an Emergency Room only is not reportable.
How does OSHA define “amputation”? An amputation is the traumatic loss of all or part of a limb or other external body part. This would include fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. If and when there is a health care professional’s diagnosis available, the employer should rely on that diagnosis.
What if I am in a state not covered by federal OSHA? Many states operate their own occupational safety and health programs for private sector and/or state and local government workers. Reporting requirements may vary by state, although all states must have or be in the process of developing requirements that are at least as effective as OSHA’s. Refer to the status of reporting requirements in these states. For more information, visit the Office of State Programs’ website.
California reporting requirements
California’s reporting requirements, CCR Title 8, Section 14300 are at least as effective as the Federal OSHA requirements. California requires that all fatalities and serious injuries or illnesses be reported within 8 hours. A serious injury or illness is defined as one in which a part of the body is lost or permanent disfigurement occurs, or one that requires hospitalization of 24 hours or more.
How do I report the injury or fatality? Click here to determine the appropriate California area office contact number.
Robin Hendrickson
As Newfront’s Occupational Health & Safety practice leader, Robin leads a team of experienced workers’ compensation claims management, wellness initiative, and loss mitigation and strategy consultants. Robin, and her team, work with employers to reduce occupational risk exposures, implementing best practices to control claim costs, and keeping employees safe, healthy, and productive.
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