OSHA Officially Rules for Expanded Recordkeeping Requirements for High-Hazard Industries

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) made its final ruling to expand recordkeeping requirements for high-hazard industries, such as construction. The new requirements will take effect January 1, 2024 and will expand on what injury and illness information is needed to be electronically submitted to OSHA.

The requirements state that businesses with 100 or more employees in certain high-hazard industries must now electronically submit information from their Form 300-Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, as well as Form 301-Injury and Illness Incident Report to OSHA annually. This is in addition to Form 300A-Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, which is already required.

Additionally, establishments are required to include their legal company name when making these submissions to OSHA from their injury and illness records.

Companies in high-hazard industries are already required to keep records of their work-related injuries and illnesses; however, this data is now to be submitted to OSHA, and the information gathered will be published on the OSHA website.

“OSHA will use these data to intervene through strategic outreach and enforcement to reduce worker injuries and illnesses in high-hazard industries,” Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, said in OSHA’s press release. “The safety and health community will benefit from the insights this information will provide at the industry level, while workers and employers will be able to make more informed decisions about their workplace's safety and health."

California businesses currently submit their recordkeeping information directly to Federal OSHA. Although the Cal/OSHA board has yet to release information regarding these new requirements, they must choose to uphold the standards set by Fed/OSHA or create stricter requirements. We will keep clients informed as further guidelines are announced.

Cal/OSHA Updates: AB 1804 Changes How Injuries and Illnesses Are Reported

Author, Emily Marasso, Media Communications Assistant, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As of January 1, 2020, California Assembly Bill 1804 (AB 1804) changed how an employer reports a serious employee injury or illness to Cal/OSHA. The bill removes the option to submit the report via email and replaces it with an “online mechanism,” according to Labor Code section 6409.1 (b). Reports may continue to be made via phone.

Until Cal/OSHA implements an online mechanism for collecting serious injury and illness reports like Fed/OSHA, emailed reports will be accepted. However, reports submitted by phone are always recommended over an emailed report. Reports submitted via phone or an online mechanism allows Cal/OSHA to ensure vital information is collected that is necessary to evaluate the seriousness of the injury or illness.  

Cal/OSHA has not provided an estimated implementation date for the online report submission option.

As a reminder, California employers are required to report serious injury or illness of employees immediately. Serious injuries or illnesses must be reported as soon as practically possible. Deaths must be reported within 8 hours. All other injuries or illnesses must be reported once the employer learns of or should have known of the serious injury or illness.