OSHA Updates its Fatality and Severe Injury Reporting Requirements

Beginning on January 1, 2015, employers will be required to notify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) of work-related fatalities within eight hours, and work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations or losses of an eye within 24 hours.  Previously, OSHA's regulations required reports of only work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three or more employees. 

The stated purpose of these updated reporting requirements is to save lives.  In a statement, OSHA framed it as follows, "By requiring employers to report when injuries like this happen, OSHA will be able to work with them to identify dangers and intervene sooner.”  Rather than simply relying on inspections, OSHA hopes these new reporting requirements will help it fix hazards before they become fatal.

To view OSHA’s Fact Sheet on these new reporting requirements, click here.  For questions regarding this and other workplace reporting requirements, please contact your labor law counsel. 

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