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Flashlight
Question: While investigating a power outage in the dark basement at work, the employee placed a flashlight in their mouth to remain hands-free. The employee tripped over a piece of equipment and fell face-first onto the floor, resulting in the flashlight crushing through the back of the skull, killing the employee. Is it recordable?
Answer: YES. The employee was on the job when the incident occurred and all incidents that occur in the work-environment are presumed work-related for OSHA recordkeeping purposes. This incident must also be reported to OSHA within 8 hours.
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.
1904.5(a) 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 §1904.5(b)(2) specifically applies