It’s that time of the year again. Since 2010, employers with more than 10 employees must keep records of all injury and illnesses that are work related. It’s important, even as a small business, to properly fill out OSHA logs or otherwise face stiff fines and penalties.
If it is determined that you had injury or illness related to work that is undocumented, then you may be subjected to a citation.
The seriousness of OSHA recording keeping can be found in the penalties they may inflict. Up to a maximum of $7,000, $1,000 for each year that an OSHA 300 and OSHA 301 was not kept AND a maximum of $3,000 that an OSHA 301 was not accurately completed.
So, it is not just the fact that you must keep records, you must also know how to accurately fill out the records.
In addition, an employer with more than 10 employees must post a summary of the injuries and illnesses from the previous year. This must be done by February 1st, even if there were no reportable incidences. If you don’t post the summary, you may be subjected to another $1,000 fine.
As you can see, OSHA recordkeeping is not only the law, but also your employee’s right to know what types of injuries and illnesses have been reported at the workplace. If you are unsure of how to properly fill out OSHA forms, you can contact OSHA directly, or us here at Emergency One at 845.338.5600.