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Q139 - Loud Noise

7 days ago
1 min

Q139 - Loud Noise

Question: An employee was standing by machinery when a high pressure tank ruptured making a loud sound. The employee did not have his hearing protection on properly and as a result, suffered from a punctured ear drum. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Punctured ear drums are considered severe injuries and must be recorded. Letter of Interpretation: Work-related cases involving cancer, chronic irreversible disease, a fractured or cracked bone, or a punctured eardrum must always

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Q137 - Coffee Break (Gas Station)

7 days ago
1 min

Q137 - Coffee Break (Gas Station)

Question: While driving from one worksite to another, a safety supervisor stops to get coffee at a gas station. The gas station is within a reasonably direct route of travel to the second worksite. While standing in line to pay for coffee, an out-of-control vehicle driven by an elderly man crashes through the wall and runs him over, breaking multiple bones. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The incident occurred while the employee was on a reasonably direct route of travel betwe

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Q136 - Injured Insurance Broker

Feb 14
4 min

Q136 - Injured Insurance Broker

Question: An insurance broker pulled a muscle while lifting boxes in the office. A doctor issued prescription muscle relaxers. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. Insurance brokerages are included on the list of partially exempt industries and therefore, even though the injury was work-related and resulted in medical treatment, it does not need to be recorded. It is important to note, certain severe incidents including loss of an eye, in-patient hospitalizations and fatalities must

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Q135 - After-Hours Incident

Feb 14
2 min

Q135 - After-Hours Incident

Question: Late one night an employee realizes he left an anniversary gift he bought for his wife on a piece of equipment at work. He is planning to surprise his wife the next morning with the gift so he sneaks out and drives back to work. He arrives at his workstation and sees the small jewelry box has fallen behind a heavy shelving unit, just out of reach. As he attempts to push the shelf away from the wall it begins to tip and, he instinctually attempts to stop it from fall

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Q134 - BEES!

Feb 14
1 min

Q134 - BEES!

Question: Two employees are clearing vegetation behind an old warehouse that will likely be sold at an auction when they disturb a beehive. Both employees receive multiple bee stings. One employee requires emergency medical care and spends several days in the hospital. The second employee uses an ice pack to treat minor swelling on his arm and returns to work. Is it recordable? Answer: YES and NO. The employee who was hospitalized should be recorded as days away from work on

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Q133 - Broken Tooth

Feb 14
1 min

Q133 - Broken Tooth

Question: An employee hits himself in the mouth with a wrench and breaks a tooth. The tooth is artificial and requires a dentist to glue it back on. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. Damage to artificial or mechanical devices, such as dentures, eye glasses, canes, or prosthetic arms or legs, would not be considered an injury or illness under Part 1904 because they are not considered part of the employee and only injuries to employees should be recorded. Letter of Interpretation

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Q132 - Aichmophobia

Feb 14
1 min

Q132 - Aichmophobia

Question: An employer offers a financial reward of $200 to take a voluntary covid vaccine. An employee loses consciousness before the needle enters his arm. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Even though the vaccine was voluntary, the reaction caused by the vaccine is work-related because it is necessary to enable the employee to perform his work duties. Loss of consciousness is considered a severe injury and should be recorded. 1904.5(a): Basic requirement. You must consider a

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Q131 - Anthrax Powder

Feb 14
1 min

Q131 - Anthrax Powder

Question: Mail room employees are sorting boxes in a mail room. One employee tosses a box to the other and the box breaks causing a white powder spread throughout the air and on the faces of the employees. The employees are taken to the ER and treated with antibiotics. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. OSHA does not provide an exclusion for injuries resulting from terrorist attacks or other violence-related injury or illnesses cases. OSHA Directives Question 5-13: If an employ

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Q130 - Zip Stitch

Feb 7
1 min

Q130 - Zip Stitch

Question: While breaking down cardboard boxes using a pocket knife, an employee cuts his arm. The occupational health nurse closes the wound using a product called zip stitch and the employee returns to work. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Zip stitch is a product designed to close a wound as an alternative to stitches, which are considered medical treatment beyond first aid. Wound coverings are typically considered first aid and wound closing devices are typically considered

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Q129 - Chemical Spill

Feb 7
1 min

Q129 - Chemical Spill

Question: A installation tech is installing a chemical fume hood in a lab. He decides to take a break for lunch and walk to the food court. While walking to the on-site food court, he notices a spill, assumes it is water and decides to wipe it up without using any PPE. 12 hours later, at home, the employee is experiencing swelling in his throat and ends up staying 2 days overnight for treatment. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The employee was injured in the work environment a

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Q128 - Therapeutic Exercise

Feb 7
1 min

Q128 - Therapeutic Exercise

Question: An employee reports minor work-related pain in their hips and the occupational health nurse provides the employee with therapeutic exercises and stretches. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Therapeutic exercise is considered medical treatment and therefore is considered to be recordable if it results from a work-related injury. Letter of Interpretation: If a physician or licensed health care professional recommends therapeutic exercise in response to a work-related i

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Q127 - Ergonomic Deficiency

Jan 31
2 min

Q127 - Ergonomic Deficiency

Question: An office worker develops tendonitis in his wrist and is provided medical treatment and work restrictions, resulting in a recordable injury. The tendonitis resulted from poor ergonomics. The employee recovered completely from the tendonitis. 10 months later, the same employee sees a doctor, receives surgery and misses several days of work due to tendonitis in his same wrist. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Ergonomic and cumulative trauma injuries are not excepted in

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Q126 - Stray Bullet

Jan 31
1 min

Q126 - Stray Bullet

Question: A lineman is climbing a utility pole. The employee cries out suddenly and shortly thereafter goes limp. The employee is rescued from the pole and rushed to the ER where they discover a bullet wound and spends several days in critical condition in the hospital. It is believed that the bullet came from an individual who broke the rules at a nearby shooting range by firing his rifle into the air. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The injury occurred during in the work env

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Q125 - Watering Company Flowers

Jan 31
1 min

Q125 - Watering Company Flowers

Question: An office employee asks if she can plant some flowers near the entry way to the company's office, is granted permission, and months later trips and injures her ankle while watering the plants during her morning break. Her doctor prescribes her 800 mg ibuprofen three times per day. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. All incidents that occur in the work environment are presumed work-related unless an exception is provided. Even breaks are considered part of the normal wor

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Q123 - Stop the Count!

Jan 31
1 min

Q123 - Stop the Count!

Question: A groundskeeper who takes great pride in his work confronts a man wearing a costume of a Sesame Street character, the Count. The man was hired to attend a birthday party of a child. After the party he had been drinking and, according to the groundskeeper stole a golf cart and was driving through the garden, damaging the grass and various flowers and bushes all while yelling out his count of how many plants he destroyed. While attempting to stop the Count, the ground

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Q124 - Turkey in an Autoclave

Jan 24
1 min

Q124 - Turkey in an Autoclave

Question: Lab workers conducting animal research on livestock decide to cook a turkey in an autoclave while celebrating a birthday of a coworker. Several months later 2 of the employees are diagnosed with prion disease. The employees are prescribed medications. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Although it is likely that the employees violated company procedures and are, in a sense, at fault for this outcome, OSHA operates on a no-fault basis. There is no exception based on who

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Q122 - Mysterious Allergic Reaction

Jan 24
1 min

Q122 - Mysterious Allergic Reaction

Question: An employee working as a janitor in a laboratory facility suddenly falls ill. His doctor believes it is an allergic reaction to something in the work environment. There are no known exposures despite air sampling and a thorough investigation. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Even though it is not clear what caused the reaction, due to OSHA's presumption of work-relatedness, the injury must be presumed to be caused by work because it happened in the work environment. F

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Q121 - Under the Influence

Jan 17
2 min

Q121 - Under the Influence

Question: In a sad attempt to promote safety at work, an employee dresses in a costume and begins recording promotional videos without explicit approval from management. The employee falls down a flight of stairs and breaks multiple bones. The same employee also is found to be under the influence of THC after failing a drug test. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Being under the influence or using poor judgment are not exceptions to the OSHA recordkeeping guidelines. A significa

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Q120 - Helping a Non-Employee

Jan 17
1 min

Q120 - Helping a Non-Employee

Question: An employee sees a beverage vendor vehicle stuck in the snow and ice in the company parking lot and goes out to help. While pushing the vehicle, the employee strains their back. A doctor prescribes muscle relaxers and physical therapy to the employee. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The employee was in the work environment during the normal workday when the incident occurred and there is no OSHA recordkeeping exception for assisting a non-employee. Therefore, the inj

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Q119 - Responding to After-Hours Emergency

Jan 17
1 min

Q119 - Responding to After-Hours Emergency

Question: A safety manager receives a call at 1:30a regarding a serious injury that occurred to an employee during the night shift. The safety manager is required by his job responsibilities to drive to the hospital from his home to begin an investigation. On the way to the hospital, the groggy safety manager's company cell phone rings and as he reaches over to grab his cell phone he veers off of the road and rolls his vehicle into a ditch. He breaks some ribs and needs stitc

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