Recording Injuries and Illnesses 

Most employers in high hazard industries are

required to keep records of injuries and illnesses

experienced by their employees. An annual 

summary of these injuries and illnesses must be

posted in the workplace from February 1 to April

30. Details on recordkeeping requirements and

forms are available from OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov. The website also offers training 

to help employers complete the forms. 

Those with 10 or fewer employees are exempt

from injury and illness recordkeeping requirements except when selected by OSHA or the

Bureau of Labor Statistics to participate in a

mandatory data collection.

Investigating Accidents

One of the hallmarks of an effective safety and

health management system is a commitment to

investigate every incident that results in a worker

injury or illness—and near-misses as well. By

immediately following up, employers can identify

root causes and take corrective steps to prevent

future problems.

Getting Help with Safety and Health

Management Systems

When it comes to injuries and illnesses, the best

defense is a good offense—a pro-active safety

Reporting Catastrophes

When a worker is killed on the job and/or three 

or more workers are hospitalized, the employer

covered by OSHA must report to the agency within eight hours. Fatal heart attacks also must be

reported. Employers can call the nearest OSHA

area office or the agency’s toll-free number 800-

321-OSHA (6742) to provide this information.

Providing First Aid

Employers who can not reach a hospital, infirmary

or clinic within a reasonable amount of time must

be prepared to provide first aid to workers who

experience injuries or illnesses on the job. OSHA

requires that adequate first aid supplies must be

readily available and that someone must be adequately trained to render first aid. 

The agency also encourages employers to consider acquiring automated external defibrillators

(AEDs)—medical devices designed to revive 

victims of sudden cardiac arrest. These devices

analyze a victim’s heart rhythm and deliver an

electric shock to restore heart rhythm to normal.

Battery-operated AEDs are compact, lightweight,

portable, safe and easy to use. Having them

onsite can save precious time and improve 

survival odds because they can be used before

emergency medical service personnel arrive.

FactSheet

OSHA Requirements When a Worker

Experiences a Job-Related Injury or Illness

Over the past three decades, occupational injuries and illnesses in the U.S. have

declined by 42 percent, even though employment has more than doubled.

Nevertheless, every year, nearly five million workers experience an occupational

injury or illness on the job. More than half of these injuries and illnesses are severe

enough to cause the worker to spend time away from work.

OSHA, along with safety and health professionals around the Nation, is working

with employers and employees to move toward zero injuries and illnesses in U.S.

workplaces. And the agency will not be satisfied until every worker in America 

goes home safe and sound each day.
and health management system that focuses on

finding and fixing hazards before they can lead to

problems. OSHA offers various services—such as

consultation and compliance assistance programs—to help employers establish safety and

health management systems. 

OSHA’s Consultation Program, for example, is a

free service to help smaller employers identify

and fix hazards in their workplaces. OSHA also

has compliance assistance specialists available in

each area office to help employers and employees

comply with OSHA requirements. OSHA cooperative and partnership programs often offer assistance with establishing safety and health manageThis is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or 

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of 

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

ment systems. Other sources of help include

trade associations, insurance companies and 

private consultants. 

OSHA’s Safety and Health Management eTool—

interactive software on OSHA’s website—helps

users build their own safety system based on a

series of questions and the specific responses a

user provides. Employers and employees also

may consult OSHA’s Handbook for Small

Businesses and “Safety and Health Program

Management Guidelines,” Federal Register

54:3904-3916, January 26, 1989. All these

resources are available at www.osha.gov. 

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

Think Safety!

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