Is It Recordable?Insidious Splinter: is it recordable?
Question
On the weekend, at home, an employee received a splinter in his hand while building a wooden loft bed for his daughter. He removed the splinter but a small piece of wood remained under his skin. Several months later, while at work lifting a heavy piece of machinery, the pressure on the small splinter injures his hand. The injury becomes infected and he receives prescription antibiotics. Is it recordable?
Answer
YES. A pre-existing injury is work-related if the work environment contributed to the injury. The work environment does not have to be the sole or predominant cause of an injury in order for it to be considered recordable.
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 §1904.5(b)(2) specifically applies
