Beginning January 1, 2015, there is a change to what companies are required to report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Companies are now required to report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours and all inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours of finding out about the incident.
On December 11, 2014 OSHA held a conversation on Twitter to answer questions about the new reporting requirements going into effect at the beginning of 2015. Some of the most frequently asked questions are discussed in a blog by Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA.
Previously, companies were required to report all workplace fatalities and when three or more workers were hospitalized in the same incident. The updated reporting requirements have a life-saving purpose, they will enable companies and workers to prevent future injuries by identifying and eliminating the most serious workplace hazards.
Companies will have three options for reporting these severe incidents to OSHA, including calling your nearest area office during normal business hours, call the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742), or file an online report. (Please note, that the online reporting will not be available until mid-January.) For more information and resources, visit OSHA’s Web page on the updated reporting requirements and watch OSHA’s new YouTube video, where Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, explains the new reporting requirements.
For more information or assistance with your Environmental and Health & Safety regulatory compliance needs, contact Ralph Carito at Total Environmental & safety, LLC (Total) at rcarito@TotalEnviron.com or 908-442-8599.