Effective January 1, 2015, there will be new recordkeeping and reporting requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Recordkeeping
Some industries that were partially exempt from recordkeeping requirements will now be required to maintain OSHA injury and illness logs and records. Previously OSHA utilized the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system for determining low-hazard industries partially exempt from recordkeeping requirements. Beginning in 2015, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) will be used to make this determination.
Newly covered industries include: automobile dealers, bakeries, specialty food stores, consumer goods rental, individual and family services, and other professional, scientific, and technical services. The complete list can be viewed on the OSHA website. Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year remain exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records.
Reporting
There will also be additional reporting requirements for fatalities and severe injuries. Starting in 2015, all employers under OSHA jurisdiction, including those partially exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records, will need to report the following to OSHA.
Report within 8 hours of learning about them:
- All work-related fatalities
Report within 24 hours of learning about them:
- All work-related inpatient hospitalizations of one or more employees
- All work-related amputations
- All work-related losses of an eye
If not currently completing OSHA injury and illness records, employers should review the new covered industries listing determine if they are required to start maintaining them. Procedures for reporting injuries and illnesses to OSHA should also be reviewed to ensure compliance with the new requirements.
More information regarding these new recordkeeping and reporting requirements can be found on the OSHA website including fact sheets on reporting, the listing of industries which will now be required to maintain OSHA records, and assistance in determining if your business is now required to meet the recordkeeping requirements. https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/records.html