Subject: Understanding an OSHA Reportable vs. Recordable Injury

1. Types of Accident Events Legally Reportable to DOSH: (Must call to report injury)

2. Reportable events must be reported to your local DOSH office within 8 hours of the incident occurring, this includes weekends and state/federal holidays, DOSH offices are able to accept reports 24/7.

a. Fatality

The death of any employee occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment shall be reported to the Division. See 8 CCR Sec.342(a).

EXCEPTION: Fatalities caused by: (1) the commission of a Penal Code violation except the violation of P.C. Sec. 385 (contact with high voltage lines), or (2) a motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway are not reportable by the employer. See Labor Code Sec.6302(h).

b. Serious Injury or Illness

Any injury or illness to one or more employees, occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment, which requires inpatient hospitalization for a period in excess of twenty- four (24) hours for other than medical observation, or in which an employee suffers the loss of any member of the body, or suffers any serious degree of physical disfigurement shall be reported to the Division. See 8 CCRSection342(a).

EXCEPTION: Serious injury or illness does not include any injury or illness caused by (1) commission of a Penal Code violation except the violation of Penal Code Section 385 (contact with high voltage lines), or (2) a motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway. See Labor Code Section 6302(h).

3. Reportable Information

When District Office personnel complete a Cal/OSHA 36(S), they shall attempt to gather the following information:

a. Time and date of accident event;

b. Employer's name, address and telephone number;

c. Name and job title, or badge number, of the person reporting the accident;

d. Address of accident event site;

e. Name of person to contact at accident event site;

f. Name and address of injured employee(s);

g. Nature of injuries;

h. Location where injured employee(s) was/were taken for medical treatment;

i. List and identity of other law enforcement agencies present at the accident event site; and

j. Description of accident event and whether the accident scene or instrumentality has been altered.

Recordable Accident vs. Non-Recordable Accident

Recordable Injury/Illness / Non-Recordable Injury/Illness
Fatality
Loss of consciousness
Days away from work (severity) due to injury/illness
Restricted/light duty work ordered by provider
Transfer to another job
Medical treatment beyond first aid
Diagnostic tests with positive findings (x-rays, CT scan etc.)
Usually includes admission to hospital
Sutures given
Therapy prescribed/given
Using a type of derma-bond material to close a wound / Visit to provider solely for observation or evaluation
Diagnostic tests done but negative findings
First Aid given including:
Tetanus shot
Cleaning, flushing or soaking surface wound
Wound coverings (includes butterfly bandage, steristrips)
Hot/cold therapy (ice pack etc.)
Non-rigid type of support (wrap)
Temporary immobilization device used to transport accident victims
Drilling of finger nail/toe nail
Draining fluid from blister
Eye patch
Removing foreign body from eye with irrigation/cotton swab
Removing splinters/foreign body from all other areas by irrigation, tweezers, swab etc.
Finger guard
Massage
Drink fluids for relief of heat stress
Using a type of liquid bandage which only covers a wound
Prescription medications (including general OTC medications given at prescription level) / Non-prescription or over the counter medications given
Significant injury/illness diagnosed by a physician
Accident/illness happened in the course of work / Accident/illness happened outside course of work (i.e., walking in parking lot after work hours. This would be different, however if an employee were in the parking lot for work reasons, such as removing snow in which this would be recordable)
Personal illness (EXCEPTION: Must call OSHA if fatal heart attack – OSHA will investigate to determine work-relatedness)