By: Paul A. Satti, CHST
As of January 1, 2015, new rules will go into effect that will impact how and what employers need to report to OSHA if an injury happens on the job. These revised recordkeeping rules includes two key changes:
First, the rule is now based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and injury and illness data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as opposed to the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The NAICS code for electrical workers is 238210 (NAICS 2012). This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in installing and servicing electrical wiring and equipment. There are 955 Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries from NIACS code 238210 (electrical work) listed on OSHA’s website that has been reported during the ten year period of October, 2003 to October, 2013.
Second, the rule expands the list of severe work-related injuries that all covered employers must report to OSHA. The revised rule retains the current requirement to report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours and adds the requirement to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and loss of an eye within 24 hours to OSHA. Note: The new rule retains the exemption for any employer with ten or fewer employees, regardless of their industry classification, from the requirement to routinely keep records.
As of January 1, 2015, all employers must report:
- All work-related fatalities within 8 hours.
- All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, all amputations and all losses of an eye within 24 hours.
You can report to OSHA by:
- Calling OSHA’s free and confidential number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
- Calling your closest Area Office during normal business hours.
- Using the new online form that will soon be available.
Only fatalities occurring within 30 days of the work-related incident must be reported to OSHA. Further, for an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye, these incidents must be reported to OSHA only if they occur within 24 hours of the work-related incident.
OSHA defines in-patient hospitalization as a formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment. However, if the in-patient hospitalization involves only observation or diagnostic testing, it does not need to be reported.
An amputation is the traumatic loss of a limb or other external body part. Amputations include a part, such as a limb or appendage, that has been severed, cut off, amputated (either completely or partially); fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. Amputations do not include avulsions (tissue torn away from the body), enucleations (removal of the eyeball), deglovings (skin torn away from the underlying tissue), scalpings (removal of the scalp), severed ears, or broken or chipped teeth.
If the fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye resulted from a motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway, not in a construction work zone, then you do not have to report to OSHA. However, you must record the event on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you are required to keep OSHA injury and illness records.
If you have questions regarding OSHA’s recordkeeping and reporting rules, please don’t hesitate to call me anytime at (800) 552-7744 x 213, or send me an email at psatti@buildsafe.org – your friend in safety, Paul A. Satti.
The Construction Safety Council in partnership with NECA-IBEW 701 LMCC Safety Committee would like to remind you to Work Smart, Build Safe!
