The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was established to ensure safe and healthy work environments, making reporting workplace injuries and illnesses vital to its success. Each year, organizations subject to OSHA must submit their OSHA 300 log. Meeting the OSHA 300 reporting deadline is crucial to maintaining compliance and safety in your organization.
What is an OSHA 300 Log?
An OSHA 300 Log, also known as the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, is a summary of workplace injuries and illnesses. It records information about each work-related injury or illness that meets OSHA’s recording criteria.
It enables companies to track:
- Trends in incidents
- Identify potential hazards
- Implement appropriate preventive measures
To meet OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, employers must keep records for all:
- Work-related fatalities
- Injuries resulting in lost workdays
- Restricted work or transfer to another job
- Medical treatment beyond first-aid
- Loss of consciousness incidents
- Significant diagnoses (cancer, fractures, etc.)
The OSHA 300 Log is an annual summary, and it must be posted in the workplace from February 1 to April 30 each year, summarizing the previous year’s incidents. It is crucial to note that not all incidents require recording; therefore, understanding what qualifies as “recordable” is essential.
OSHA 300 Electronic Reporting Deadline
Businesses classified as high-hazard with 20 – 99 employees must file their OSHA 300 electronically through the Injury Tracking Application, an online portal on OSHA’s site. As of January 1, 2024, OSHA recordkeeping requirements changed to include specific provisions for businesses with 100 or more employees (previously this provision applied to businesses with 250 or more employees). These businesses must electronically submit information from their OSHA 300 Logs, 301 Forms, and 300A Summaries to OSHA annually.
The OSHA 300 electronic reporting deadline for incidents occurring in 2023 is on March 2, 2024.
Maintaining an Accurate OSHA 300 Log
Maintaining an accurate OSHA 300 log requires meticulous attention to detail. Employers must record each incident within seven calendar days of being notified of the incident.
The log must contain specific details such as:
- Name
- Job title
- Date of injury or illness
- Nature of the case (injury or illness)
- Description of the incident
- Number of days away from work or restricted duty
Employers must preserve these records for five years.
Who is Exempt From the OSHA 300 Reporting Deadline?
Certain businesses are not required to keep an injury and illness log. Organizations with ten or fewer employees (at all times) during the previous calendar year are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records. While organizations with fewer than 20 employees (at all times) during the year, do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA.
However, even if an employer is exempt or partially exempt from routinely keeping injury and illness records, they must still report to OSHA any workplace incident that results in a fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.
Using OSHA Compliance Software to Track Incidents
Compliancy Group’s OSHA compliance software makes it easy for healthcare organizations to track incidents. But what’s better is it allows you to track and manage all your compliance in one place. From employee training materials to templated policies, Compliancy Group simplifies compliance tracking and reporting.
