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Exploding Cell Phone

Exploding Cell Phone

Question: An employee was working outside on a hot sunny day and left their cell phone on the dashboard of their work vehicle. They retrieved their phone after several hours and placed it in their pocket. Soon after, the phone exploded in their pocket, resulting in burns. The employee receives medical treatment for the burns and receives a recommendation to stay home from work for several days to recover. Is it recordable?

Answer: YES. The incident occurred during the normal workday in the work environment and is presumed work-related for recordkeeping purposes.



1904.7(a): You must consider an injury or illness to meet the general recording criteria, and therefore to be recordable, if it results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. You must also consider a case to meet the general recording criteria if it involves a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.

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