Employers now have the option of reporting severe work injuries online to better comply with the expanded requirements that took effect January 2015. Included in these requirements were reporting any worker fatality within 8 hours and also reporting within 24 hours any severe injury – defined as an amputation, hospitalization or loss of an eye. OSHA has updated their website to now include a reporting webpage. When making a report, be sure to have the following information ready: business name; names of employees affected; location and time of the incident; brief description of the incident; contact person and phone number. Also included on the updated webpage are frequently asked questions and contact information to better help complete your report. After a year with the new regulations, OSHA has received about 12,000 reports. The new webpage will help streamline the reporting process for both employers and the agency.
Employers should keep in mind serious injuries that require reporting will likely be followed up by an OSHA enforcement inspection.If you need assistance preparing for an OSHA inspection or defending against a citation, click here to learn more about our consulting services.
