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Company New Year Party
Question: An employee participates in an optional office New Year party that was put on by the company during one afternoon of a regular workday. A spill creates a slippery floor and the employee slips and breaks her arm. Is it recordable?
Answer: YES. Injuries that occur during the normal workday are presumed work-related unless an exception applies. Office work parties are not on the list of exceptions provided by OSHA. Injuries that occur during work parties, unless otherwise excepted, are considered work-related and should be recorded if they result in medical treatment beyond first aid, restricted duty, lost time, loss of consciousness or death.
1904.5(a): Basic requirement. You must consider an injury or illness to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness. Work-relatedness is presumed for injuries and illnesses resulting from events or exposures occurring in the work environment, unless an exception in ยง1904.5(b)(2) specifically applies