As of Jan. 1, 2015, all employers under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are required to report all work-related fatalities within eight hours and all in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours of finding out about the incident.
Even employers who are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA records due to company size—such as companies with 10 or fewer employees— must comply with the new reporting guidelines. These firms typically do not have to routinely keep injury and illness records.
Before the new regulations went into effect, employers only had to report all work-related fatalities and hospitalizations of three or more employees involved in the same incident.
There are some circumstances that are exempt from the reporting requirements including:
· Only fatalities occurring within 30 days of the work-related incident must be reported.
· For an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye, incidents must be reported to OSHA only if they occur within 24 hours of the work-related incident.
· Employers do not have to report an in-patient hospitalization if it was for diagnostic testing or observation only.
(http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2014/12/31/351332.htm)
Related Stories
| Feb 8, 2012
Controversy over pay for prisoners on roofing job in Michigan
The disagreement was over whether the prisoners should have been paid prevailing wage for their brief time on the job because the project was paid for with a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
| Jan 30, 2012
ZigBee and ISO 50001: Two new standards to make buildings greener
These developments demonstrate the dynamic nature of the market and the continued need for development of program standards of many different types that help builders and owners translate high performance and sustainable buildings goals into practical measures on the ground.
| Jan 30, 2012
New firm-fixed-price rules on federal contracts impact construction industry
Contractors will need to be on the lookout for policies such as the Contractor Accountability for Quality clause.
| Jan 30, 2012
Roofer’s fatal plunge demonstrates need for fall-prevention regulations
“The biggest problem is getting our workers to use the equipment,” says Michael J. Florio, executive director of the organization.
| Jan 26, 2012
Tampa moves to streamlined online permitting system
The system will replace an inefficient patchwork of old software and is designed to provide businesses, homeowners, and contractors with online access to permitting and licensing information.
| Jan 26, 2012
EPA to collect more data, seek comments before finalizing mud rule
The EPA says it will seek more data and is accepting comments until March 5.
| Jan 26, 2012
Industry challenges Connecticut's suit over defective construction work
The dispute arose over multimillion-dollar leaks at the University of Connecticut's law library.
| Jan 26, 2012
Earthquake 'fuse' could save buildings during temblors
The idea is to use an earthquake "fuse" that can prevent the tiny fractures and warps that make structures unsafe after a quake and very expensive to repair.
