To Record or Not to Record: That Is the Question Sep 23, 2019 By Lisa Neuberger, EHS Editor at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. There are often gray areas with injury and illness recordkeeping where it is not clear whether an injury meets the recording criteria, or in some cases, how and where the injury should be recorded. Each employer required to keep an OSHA Injury and Illness Log must record each fatality, injury and illness that is work-related; a new case; and/or meets one or more of the general recording criteria. Conversely, covered employers must records all work-related fatalities and any injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work, restricted work, job transfer, or medical treatment beyond first aid or loss of consciousness. In addition, employers must record certain significant work-related injuries or illnesses diagnosed by a physician or other licensed healthcare professional, even if those injuries do not otherwise trigger one of the general recording criteria (e.g., a punctured eardrum or broken toe). RECORDKEEPING EXCEPTIONS Under the OSHA recordkeeping system, work-relatedness is presumed for injuries and illnesses resulting from events or exposures occurring in the workplace — except under the following circumstances, which are not recordable. 1.) The employee is present in the work environment as a member of the general public rather than an employee. 2.) The injury or illness involves signs or symptoms that surface at work but result solely from a non-work-related event or exposure that occurs outside the work environment. For this exception to apply, the work environment cannot have caused, contributed to, or significantly aggravated the injury or illness. 3.) The injury or illness results solely from voluntary participation in a wellness program or in a medical, fitness, or recreational activity such as blood donation, physical examination, flu shot, exercise class, racquetball or baseball. Let's block ads! (Why?)