As of January 1, 2015, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to notify it of all work-related fatalities, inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees, amputations, and losses of at least one eye. Previously, employers only had to report all work-related fatalities and work-related hospitalizations of three or more empl
oyees. Here are common questions and answers.
Who must report fatalities and severe injuries under the new rules? Most franchised dealers come under OSHA jurisdiction. Therefore dealers should expect to report all qualifying work-related incidents.
When should a fatality be reported? A work-related fatality must be reported within 8 hours of an employer leaning of it. Employers only must report fatalities that occur within 30 days of a work-related incident.
When should a severe injury or illness be reported? Employers must report an inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss within 24 hours after learning of it. Employers only must report an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye that occurs within 24 hours of a work-related incident.
How can I report an event to OSHA? Employers may report events to OSHA via telephone to the nearest OSHA Area Office during business hours, via telephone to the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-6742, or (to be available soon) online at www.osha.gov.
What type of information must be reported? When reporting a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye, an employer must report to OSHA:
- the establishment name,
- location of the work-related incident
- time of the work-related incident
- type of reportable event (i.e., fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye)
- number of employees who suffered the event
- names of the employees who suffered the event
- company contact person and his or her phone number
- brief description of the work-related incident
What types of incidents do employers not have to report?
- Fatalities, inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of eyes from motor vehicle accidents that occur on public streets or highways need not be reported.
- Fatalities, inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of eyes from incidents on commercial or public transportation (i.e., airplane, subway, bus, ferry, streetcar, light rail, train) need not be reported.
- Fatalities that occur over 30 days after the work-related incident or inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of eyes that occur over 24 hours after the work-related incident need not be reported.
- Inpatient hospitalizations for diagnostic testing or observation only need not be reported.
Should employers report inpatient hospitalizations due to a heart attack? If the heart attack resulted from a work-related incident, employers must report that.