OSHA announces new requirements for reporting workplace injuries

Recently, the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration ("OSHA") announced new requirements for the reporting of workplace injuries that are slated to take effect on January 1, 2015. These new regulations apply to all workplaces that fall under federal OSHA requirements. Additionally, OSHA has revised the list of employers partially exempted from OSHA reporting requirements to include certain industries to which reporting requirements did not previously apply, but also provides partial exemptions for the first time to certain industries that were previously not exempted.

Under the current OSHA regulations, employers are required to report only work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations when three or more employees are involved. However, under the new rules, employers must report all work-related fatalities to OSHA within eight hours of the occurrence. Additionally, under the new rules, all work-related, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours. This differs significantly from the current OSHA regulations that do not require any reporting of individual hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of eyes.

Recognizing the increased reporting that will follow implementation of the new regulations, OSHA has also developed a web portal for employers to use in electronically reporting workplace injuries. The web portal for online reporting of injuries will be located at https://www.osha.gov/report_online/. Until the implementation of the web portal, employers should continue reporting workplace injuries by either calling OSHA's hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or by calling or visiting the nearest OSHA area office during regular business hours.