Q215 - Rigid Splint

Question: 

While descending a flight of stairs at work, an employee misses the last step and falls to the floor. During a break, the employee walks to a local convenience store to purchase and use a rigid splint for their arm. Is it recordable?

Answer:

NO. Medical treatment must be recommended by the employer or a licensed healthcare professional in order for it to be considered medical treatment beyond first aid for OSHA recordkeeping purposes.

Letter of Interpretation Generally, OSHA does not consider self-treatment or self-medication by the employee to constitute medical treatment beyond first aid. The treatment must be directed or recommended by the employer or a health care professional to be considered medical treatment beyond first aid.

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Q214 - Homemade Stitches

Question: 

An employee cuts their arm while opening a box at work. They self-administer stitches and later are directed to visit the doctor. The doctor opines that the stitches are unnecessary and a simple wound covering would have sufficed for treatment. Is it recordable?

Answer:

NO. Medical treatment must be recommended by the employer or a licensed healthcare professional in order for it to be considered medical treatment beyond first aid for OSHA recordkeeping purposes.

Letter of Interpretation Generally, OSHA does not consider self-treatment or self-medication by the employee to constitute medical treatment beyond first aid. The treatment must be directed or recommended by the employer or a health care professional to be considered medical treatment beyond first aid.

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Q213 - Contract Employee

Question: 

A long-term contract employee, responsible for repairing/maintaining equipment, gets his foot crushed under a large piece of equipment at work and has his toe amputated. The employee's daily activities were supervised by the contract employer, not by your employer. Is it recordable?

Answer:

NO. While the injury is recordable for the contract employee's direct supervising employer, it is NOT recordable for your company. This injury must be recorded by the contract employer and also reported to OSHA within 24 hours.

1904.31(b)(3) If an employee in my establishment is a contractor's employee, must I record an injury or illness occurring to that employee? If the contractor's employee is under the day-to-day supervision of the contractor, the contractor is responsible for recording the injury or illness. If you supervise the contractor employee's work on a day-to-day basis, you must record the injury or illness. ​

1904.39(a)(2) Within twenty-four (24) hours after the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee's amputation or an employee's loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident, you must report the in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA.

How to Report an Amputation

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