Prescription Meds for Diagnostics Question: An employee is pushing/guiding an 8 foot section of plastic pipe that is being moved with a crane when the sling fails and whips the employee in the face. At the hospital, an optometrist uses prescription eye drops to better evaluate whether or not there was damage to the eye. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. The administering of prescription medications used solely for diagnostic purposes is not considered recordable. 1904.7(b)(5)(i) What is the definition of medical treatment? "Medical treatment" means the management and care of a patient to combat disease or disorder. For the purposes of Part 1904, medical treatment does not include: 1904.7(b)(5)(i)(A) Visits to a physician or other licensed health care professional solely for observation or counseling; 1904.7(b)(5)(i)(B) The conduct of diagnostic procedures, such as x-rays and blood tests, including the administration of prescription medications used solely for diagnostic purposes (e.g., eye drops to dilate pupils); or ​1904.7(b)(5)(i)(C) "First aid" as defined in paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of this section. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.7(b)(5)(i)

Outburst Question: An employees discovers that the company is planning to lay him off at the end of the month. He storms into the breakroom and in an emotional rage, he tips over a vending machine. The large machine crashes into a wall and ruptures a steam line. As a result, the employee receives severe burns on his shoulder, neck and face. The employee is taken to the ER and is provided medical treatment and a recommendation for days away from work by the doctors. The employee is terminated the same day. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The employee was injured in the workplace and it must be recorded as a days away incident. The number of days away should be estimated, based on the recommendation made by the doctors. Letter of Interpretation If the employee leaves the company for some reason(s) related to the injury or illness, section 1904.7(b)(3)(viii) of the rule directs the employer to make an estimate of the count of days away from work or days of restriction/job transfer expected for the particular type of case. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2019-04-03

Trigger Point Injections Question: An employee trips and falls over his own feet while walking down a hallway. He is concerned he injured himself and goes to a clinic for an evaluation. The doctor provides trigger point injections for diagnostic purposes only. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Even though medication administered solely for diagnostic purposes would not normally trigger recordability, trigger point injections serve a dual purpose: diagnosis AND pain relief. Prescription medicine provided for pain relief is considered medical treatment beyond first aid and is therefore recordable. Letter of Interpretation: OSHA's physicians in the Office of Occupational Medicine [stated] that although "trigger point" injections may be used diagnostically, ultimately they also provide medical treatment (pain relief). Because the medication serves these dual purposes, it does not meet the criterion of being solely used for diagnostic procedure. Therefore, when "trigger point" injections are administered, the work-related injury or illness is recordable. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2011-04-18

Please support our partners who make it possible for this site to continue operating free for you! Use code REDBEARD10 for a 10% discount! Q157 - Shart Question: An employee was sitting at a desk completing computer-based training using headphones. In the employee's words: "I was trying to fart and about half of the fart came out before I realized more was on its way out too. I caught that before it was too late and jumped up and started to run to the bathroom. In my haste I forgot to remove the headphones, which yanked my head and pulled the computer onto the ground. As I fell, I kicked over a water dispenser, broke my toe and then [pooped] all over myself." Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The incident occurred in the work environment and is considered work-related and broken bones are considered severe injuries. Letter of Interpretation : In the January 19, 2001, preamble to the final rule revising the recordkeeping regulation, OSHA explained that "work-related cancer, irreversible diseases, fractures of bone or teeth and punctured eardrums are generally recognized as constituting significant diagnoses, and if the condition is work-related, are appropriately recorded at the time of the initial diagnosis even if, at that time, medical treatment or work restrictions are not recommended." ​ 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. ​ Ask a Question

Please support our partners who make it possible for this site to continue operating free for you! Use code REDBEARD10 for a 10% discount! Q190 - Dishonest Employee Question: An employee set to retire within a year reported that he injured a shoulder while lifting a piece of equipment. The employee receives shoulder surgery and misses a month of work. Later, a coworker reported that the injury actually occurred at home while the employee was replacing the roof on their house. During an investigation the employee confirms the injury was not work-related. The injury has already been added to the OSHA log. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. The entry on the OSHA log can be lined out because the injury was found to be not work-related. 1904.33(a) Do I have to update the OSHA 300 Log during the five-year storage period? Yes, during the storage period, you must update your stored OSHA 300 Logs to include newly discovered recordable injuries or illnesses and to show any changes that have occurred in the classification of previously recorded injuries and illnesses. If the description or outcome of a case changes, you must remove or line out the original entry and enter the new information. ​ Ask a Question

Hand Sanitizer Burn Question: During a lunch break, an employee uses hand sanitizer and then proceeds to light up a cigarette. As she lights her cigarette, her hand suddenly catches fire due the alcohol flammability in the hand sanitizer. The incident results in a second degree burn that requires prescribed antibiotic ointment and bandaging from a doctor. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Breaks are considered part of the normal workday and considered to be work-related according to OSHA. Letter of Interpretation Under Section 1904.5(b)(2)(v), an injury or illness is not work-related if it is solely the result of an employee doing personal tasks (unrelated to their employment) at the establishment outside of the employee's assigned working hours. In order for this exception to apply, the case must meet both of the stated conditions [i.e., the injury or illness must (1) be solely the result of the employee doing personal tasks (unrelated to their employment), and (2) occur outside of the employee's assigned working hours]. [...] Lunch breaks are considered assigned working hours for injury and illness recordkeeping purposes. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2010-11-15

Enhance your career with the Master Safety Professional and Certified Safety Director certifications only at NASP! Tell them RedBeard sent you! Q196 - Drinking Fluids for Heat Stress Question: An employee experiences heat stress while working outside on a hot day. His supervisor sends him to the occupational health nurse who instructs him to drink fluids. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress is specifically listed as first aid by OSHA and is not recordable. ​ ​ 1904.7(b)(5)(ii) What is "first aid"? For the purposes of Part 1904, "first aid" means the following: 1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(N) Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress. ​ ​ Ask a Question

Mind Your Head Question: An employee injured their head on a "mind your head" sign that was installed by the safety team. The injury resulted in stitches. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The injury is work-related and resulted in medical treatment beyond first aid. 1904.7(a): Basic requirement. 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. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904.7

Turkey in an Autoclave Question: Lab workers conducting animal research on livestock decide to cook a turkey in an autoclave while celebrating a birthday of a coworker. Several months later 2 of the employees are diagnosed with prion disease. The employees are prescribed medications. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Although it is likely that the employees violated company procedures and are, in a sense, at fault for this outcome, OSHA operates on a no-fault basis. There is no exception based on who is at fault (unless the employee intentionally caused self-harm) and therefore it should be presumed work-related and recorded. 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 1904.5(b)(2)(iv) ...If the employee is made ill by ingesting food contaminated by workplace contaminants (such as lead), or gets food poisoning from food supplied by the employer, the case would be considered work-related. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.5(a) https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.5(b)(2)

Please support our partners who make it possible for this site to continue operating free for you! Tell them RedBeard sent you! Q177 - Falling Boiler Question: An explosion launched a car-sized boiler through the roof of a company across the street from where an employee was working in an office. The boiler smashed down through the ceiling of the building and killed the employee. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. The incident occurred during the workday and there is no listed exception for incidents caused by third parties. The fatality is also reportable and must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours. ​ 1904.7(a) : Basic requirement. 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. ​ How to Report a Fatality ​ ​ Ask a Question

Bamboo Flooring Question: An employee was tasked with picking up bamboo flooring for a remodeling project of a new office space. The employee picked up the bamboo flooring one evening and decided to take it into their own home overnight so it wouldn't be stolen from their vehicle. The next morning, the employee picked up the bamboo flooring and felt something on the underside of the packaging and a tingling pain in his hand. Upon closer inspection the employee found hundreds of baby scorpions crawling in and around the packaging and several stings on his hand. The employee immediately drove to urgent care and was provided prescription strength 2.5% hydrocortisone cream. Is it recordable? Answer: YES. Normally, an incident that occurs at home or at any time prior to the end of the commute in to work would be considered not work-related. However, in this case, the employee was engaged in work activity as a condition of his employment and this should be considered work-related. The prescription antibiotics are considered medical treatment which makes this injury recordable. 1904.5(b)(1): What is the "work environment"? OSHA defines the work environment as "the establishment and other locations where one or more employees are working or are present as a condition of their employment. The work environment includes not only physical locations, but also the equipment or materials used by the employee during the course of his or her work." https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.5(b)(1)

Exempted Industry: Eye Loss Question: A company from an OSHA recordkeeping exempt industry has two employees injured when some shelving fails and causes boxes to fall. One employee was cut by the sharp edge of a box and was prescribed antibiotics. The second employee was more seriously injured and ends up losing an eye. Is it recordable? Answer: NO. The injuries do not need to be recorded because the company is in one of the exempt/low-hazard industries from keeping an OSHA 300 log. HOWEVER, the employer is still required to report the loss of an eye to OSHA. Exempt companies are also exempted from regular OSHA inspection, if the agency has no knowledge of a serious personal injury at the workplace. Non-Mandatory Appendix A to Subpart B -- Partially Exempt Industries: Employers are not required to keep OSHA injury and illness records for any establishment classified in the following North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, unless they are asked in writing to do so by OSHA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), or a state agency operating under the authority of OSHA or the BLS. All employers, including those partially exempted by reason of company size or industry classification, must report to OSHA any employee's fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye (see § 1904.39). OSHA Fact Sheet: All employers under OSHA jurisdiction must report all work-related fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye to OSHA, even employers who are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records due to company size or industry. 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. 1904.39(a)(3): You must report the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye using one of the following methods: 1904.39(a)(3)(i): By telephone or in person to the OSHA Area Office that is nearest to the site of the incident. 1904.39(a)(3)(ii): By telephone to the OSHA toll-free central telephone number, 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742). 1904.39(a)(3)(iii): By electronic submission using the reporting application located on OSHA's public Web site at www.osha.gov . https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904SubpartBAppA https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping2014/OSHA3745.pdf#:~:text=All%20employers%20under%20OSHA%20jurisdiction%20must%20report%20all,of%20a%20limb%20or%20other%20external%20body%20part. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.39(a)(2)