Employers: Posting OSHA 300A February 1 More Important Than Ever

Asheville, NC (CompNewsNetwork) - The time of the year that OSHA 300A forms must be posted is fast approaching.  With OSHA's increased emphasis on record keeping, the importance of thoroughness and accuracy in completing the reports can not be over emphasized.  While there are exemptions, most employers must summarize the OSHA 300 Log information on the 300A summary form, and post no later than February 1, 2011.

A company executive must certify the summary. In so doing, the executive is certifying they have reviewed the related records and that the posted summary is accurate, true and complete. OSHA describes this requirement as imposing "senior management accountability" for the integrity and accuracy of the data.

All establishments covered by Part 1904 must complete this summary page, even if no work-related injuries or illnesses occurred during the year.

This information must then be posted for three months in a common area of the workplace, from February 1 to April 30. Employers must keep the records for five years following the calendar year covered by them, and if the employer sells the business, he or she must transfer the records to the new owner. For a copy of the form visit http://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/RKforms.html.

It's always a good idea to review the OSHA recordable requirements with managers and supervisors. The recordable tree on the OSHA website is a helpful guide http://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/ppt1/RK1flowchart.html

There are exemptions. If you had 10 or fewer employees during all of calendar year 2010 or your business is classified in a specific low-hazard retail, service, finance, insurance, or real estate industry as spelled out on the webpage, http://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/pub3169text.html

you do not have to keep injury and illness records unless the Bureau of Labor Statistics or OSHA informs you in writing that you must do so. However, all employers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-596) must report to OSHA any workplace incident resulting in a fatality or the in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees within eight hours.

This material is provided as general information and is not a substitute for legal or other professional advice.

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Preston Diamond is Managing Director and Co-Founder of the Institute of WorkComp Professionals, based in Asheville, NC. It trains, tests and certifies select insurance professionals to alert employers about the hidden costs and overcharges in the Workers' Compensation insurance system. He can be contacted at 828-274-0959 or preston@workcompprofessionals.com, www.workcompprofessionals.com

It's always a good idea to review the OSHA recordable requirements with managers and supervisors. The recordable tree on the OSHA website is a helpful guide:

The table below indicates which sections of the rule address each topic.

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