Employer Alert: OSHA Issues New Notification Requirements

Effective January 1, 2015, OSHA is expanding its reach by requiring employers to file a report with OSHA if the following events occur at the job site or workplace:

Any fatality that occurs within 30-days of a work-related incident; Employers must notify OSHA within eight (8) hours of the fatality.

Any in-patient hospitalization of one or more workers; Employers must notify OSHA within 24-hours of the hospitalization.

Any amputations or loss of an eye; Employers must notify OSHA within 24-hours.

Employers, particularly those in construction and related industries, need to be aware of OSHA’s updated reporting requirements. With four thousand (4,000) American workers killed on the job in 2013, OSHA’s new reporting requirements seek to hold employers more accountable for preventing workplace injuries. With these reporting priorities in mind, employers would be well advised to proactively reinforce safety procedures in their managerial training and employment policies.

For more information about the new rule, employers may visit OSHA’s website at https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Connie Carrigan at ccarrigan@smithdebnamlaw.com