How to Report Accidents to OSHA

Workplace accidents, even those at construction sites, must be reported to OSHA

Most workplaces take OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards and regulations very seriously. It's a standard practice for workplaces to post instructions on how to report accidents to OSHA, though the requirements differ by type of industry. OSHA reports are a matter of public record and can easily be found on the Internet, so it's bad publicity for companies to be anything less than forthcoming in their reporting process. In addition, OSHA can help companies take steps to make their work places safer, and reporting the accident correctly reduces the company's liability, according to HRdirect (Reference 1).

Things You'll Need

• OSHA reporting forms
• Local telephone directory

Instructions

1. Document events around the time of the accident, including the time, the location, and a description or the work station or area where the accident happened. Include a narrative of what happened based on interviews with the victim and/or witnesses. Describe the injuries and note what actions, if any, were taken to remove the victim from the dangerous area, provide treatment to the victim, and secure the area of danger so nobody else was at risk.

2. Complete the required OSHA standard paperwork using the information you wrote down after the accident. According to HRdirect (Reference 1), there is a form for logging in all work-related injuries or illnesses (Form 300), a form for describing each incident in greater detail (Form 301), and a form that is posted in a conspicuous place at the work site summarizing the number of work-related injuries or illnesses in a calendar year (Form 300A).

3. Call the OSHA office nearest to your location. The number should be listed in the local telephone directory. If someone was killed in a workplace accident or three or more persons were seriously injured, OSHA requires a phone call within 24 hours of the incident. Minor accidents may not require a report to OSHA, but there's no harm in letting agency representatives know about an event. They may simply tell you to place the report in a file for the next workplace inspection. It's better to err on the side of caution that to be cited later on because you weren't aware that something should have been reported.

Tips & Warnings

• It's also important to notify OSHA of all safety training activities administered to employees.

References

• HR Direct: Be wise with OSHA rules: Documenting workplace accidents and injuries

Resources

• OSHA regulations