Labor and Employment Alert: OSHA Updates Recordkeeping Rule for Reporting Fatalities and Severe Injuries

Effective January 1, 2015, employers with facilities located in states subject to federal OSHA jurisdiction will have new reporting requirements.  Previously, employers were required to report all work‑related fatalities and work‑related hospitalizations of three or more employees within eight hours of the event.  Beginning January 1, 2015, employers will be required to report: (1) any work‑related fatalities; (2) any work‑related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees; (3) any work‑related amputations; and (4) any work‑related losses of an eye.  A fatality must be reported within eight hours of the employer's learning about the death, but an employer will only have to report a fatality that occurs within 30 days of a work‑related event.  For an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye, an employer must report within 24 hours of learning about the event.  Further, an employer will only have to report an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye that occurs within 24 hours of a work‑related event.

Employers will have three options for reporting.  The first is by calling the nearest OSHA Area Office during normal business hours.  Second, employers may call using the 24‑hour OSHA hotline at 1‑800‑321‑OSHA (6742).  Third, OSHA is in the process of developing a new means of reporting events electronically, which will be available soon at www.osha.gov.  For further information regarding these changes, please contact your Vorys/OSHA lawyer.