According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Private industry employers in the United States reported 2.6 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses.  This represents a decrease of 8.4% from 2022 reported injuries, primarily driven by a 56.6% decrease in reportable respiratory illnesses.  The number of recordable respiratory illnesses in 2023 dropped to its lowest level since 2019.  Compared with 2022, construction, manufacturing, and general freight trucking reported a decrease in reportable injuries and illnesses, while food and beverage store employers reported an increase of 6.5%. 

Recordkeeping Update

As we approach the end of the year, it is important to review your company’s injuries and illness logs and ensure you are prepared to submit your injury records in a timely fashion.  Several OSHA recordkeeping requirements changed in 2023 that came into effect in 2024.  See the federal register for the rule here.

1)        Employers in industries required to submit injury and illness data with 100 or more employees must annually submit their 300 and 301 forms electronically.

2)        Employers with 250 or more employees are still required to submit Form 300A annually.

3)        Employers with 20-249 employees in designated industries are required to submit 300A annually.

4)        An interim rule which is expected to take effect March 12, 2025 expands the recordkeeping retention requirements from 5 years to 10 years

These records are required to be submitted through OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application.

What is a Recordable Injury?

OSHA provides a concise list of recordable injuries and illnesses as follows:

  • Any work-related fatality.

  • Any work-related injury or illness that results in loss of consciousness, days away from work, restricted work, or transfer to another job.

  • Any work-related injury or illness requiring medical treatment beyond first aid.  This requirement relates to the actual treatment provided, not who provides the treatment. 

  • Any work-related diagnosed case of cancer, chronic irreversible diseases, fractured or cracked bones or teeth, and punctured eardrums.

  • There are also special recording criteria for work-related cases involving: needlesticks and sharps injuriesmedical removalhearing loss; and tuberculosis.

How Do We Determine Work Relatedness?

According to OSHA Regulations (29 CFR 1904.5) You must consider an injury or illness to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness. Work-relatedness is presumed for injuries and illnesses resulting from events or exposures occurring in the work environment, unless an exception in §1904.5(b)(2) specifically applies.  OSHA (further) defines the work environment  as "the establishment and other locations where one or more employees are working or are present as a condition of their employment. The work environment includes not only physical locations, but also the equipment or materials used by the employee during the course of his or her work."

What is First Aid?

The definition for first-aid relates to the actual treatment provided, not who provides the treatment.  If a worker goes to the ER and is seen by a doctor, but the treatment is limited to those activities listed below, it is still First Aid.

  • Using a non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength (for medications available in both prescription and non-prescription form, a recommendation by a physician or other licensed health care professional to use a non-prescription medication at prescription strength is considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes);

  • Administering tetanus immunizations (other immunizations, such as Hepatitis B vaccine or rabies vaccine, are considered medical treatment);

  • Cleaning, flushing or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin

  • Using wound coverings such as bandages, Band-Aids™, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips™ (other wound closing devices such as sutures, staples, etc., are considered medical treatment);

  • Using hot or cold therapy;

  • Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic bandages, wraps, non-rigid back belts, etc. (devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes);

  • Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (e.g., splints, slings, neck collars, back boards, etc.).

  • Drilling of a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure, or draining fluid from a blister;

  • Using eye patches;

  • Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab;

  • Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs or other simple means;

  • Using finger guards;

  • Using massages (physical therapy or chiropractic treatment are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes); or

  • Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress.

What is Medical Treatment?

On the other hand, "Medical treatment" means the management and care of a patient to combat disease or disorder.  Medical treatment is treatment beyond first aid.

Medical treatment does not include:

·        Visits to a physician or other licensed health care professional solely for observation or counseling;

·        The conduct of diagnostic procedures, such as x-rays and blood tests, including the administration of prescription medications used solely for diagnostic purposes (e.g., eye drops to dilate pupils)

Summary

It is important to correctly record and report your workplace injury and illnesses, not only because it is the law, but also because the data can provide company leadership with insight into how well your injury and illness prevention program is working.  Employers should review their injury and illness records for trends and for indications that some hazard or risk has not been adequately addressed and improvements are required. 

Do you need more training and information on recordkeeping and how to use the data to improve your processes? Contact Shafer Safety Solutions by e-mail for options. 

 

If you just need a refresher and would like to take an online class try ClickSafety – enter discount code SSS15 for a 15% discount!

 

Note: This article was written by a human author who does not use AI to produce content.

Next
Next

Safety Tips for Daylight Savings