Beginning January 1, 2015, employers under the federal
jurisdiction of OSHA will be required to comply with more stringent OSHA
recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
In the past, employers were required to report all work-related
fatalities and all work-related hospitalizations of three or more employees. Starting
January 1st, however, employers must report all of the following:
- All work-related fatalities;
- All work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees;
- All work related amputations;
- All work-related losses of an eye.
Pursuant to the new requirements, work-related fatalities
must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours of learning of the incident, and all
inpatient hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye must be reported
within 24 hours of learning of the incident. Three reporting mechanisms will be
available to employers: (1) calling or visiting the nearest area office during
normal business hours, (2) calling the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 800.321.OSHA, or
(3) reporting online (coming soon at www.osha.gov).
OSHA has prepared resources to assist employers in understanding
and complying with the new requirements including a FactSheet and a list of FAQs.
For more information on the new OSHA requirements and how they
may affect your business, please contact Connell Foley’s labor and employmentlaw attorneys.
