On September 11, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced new requirements for reporting severe injuries. For states covered by federal OSHA regulations, the new rules will take effect on January 1, 2015.
According to the revised regulations, employers will have to report the following incidents to OSHA:
- All work-related fatalities
- All work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees
- All work-related amputations
- All work-related losses of an eye
An employer must report work-related fatalities within eight hours of learning them. Employers only have to report fatalities that occurred within 30 days of a work-related incident.
On learning about any work-related amputation, eye loss or inpatient hospitalization, an employer must report the event within 24 hours. Employers only have to report an amputation, eye loss or inpatient hospitalization that occurs within 24 hours of a work-related incident.
Employers have three options for meeting the new reporting requirements:
- By telephone to the nearest OSHA area office during normal business hours
- By telephone to the 24-hour OSHA hotline: 1-800-321-OSHA (-6742)
- By an electronic reporting system that OSHA intends to launch by January 1, located on OSHA.gov
Fire and EMS departments located in states that are under federal OSHA jurisdiction must comply with the new requirements starting on January 1. Fire and EMS departments that are regulated by state OSHA laws are encouraged to contact the state OSHA office to find out when and how they should comply with the new regulations.
Go to the OSHA state plan website to see if your state is under federal OSHA law or has an OSHA-approved state plan.
For more information about these new requirements, IAFC members are encouraged to go to the OSHA Updated Recordkeeping Rule website for the final rule, FAQs and fact sheets.