WorldWide Drilling Resource

What is a Recordable Injury or Illness? Adapted from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Some employers are required to keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses and report them to the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Minor injuries only requiring first aid do not need to be recorded. With many employers required to electronically submit information from OSHA Forms 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), several people have asked “How does OSHA define a recordable injury or illness?” According to the administration, a recordable injury or illness includes any work-related: o Fatality. o Injury or illness which results in loss of consciousness, days away from work, restricted work, or transfer to another job. o Injury or illness requiring medical treatment beyond first aid. o Diagnosed case of cancer, chronic irreversible diseases, fractured / cracked bones or teeth, and punctured eardrums. o There are special recording criteria for cases involving: needlesticks / sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis. OSHA defines first aid as: + Using a nonprescription medication at nonprescription strength. + Administering tetanus immunizations (other immunizations, such as Hepatitis B vaccine or rabies vaccine, are consid- ered medical treatment). + Cleaning, flushing, or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin. + Using wound coverings such as bandages, Band-Aids™, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips™ (other wound-closing devices such as sutures, staples, etc., are considered medical treatment). + Using hot or cold therapy. + Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic band- ages, wraps, non-rigid back belts, etc. (devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes). + Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (e.g., splints, slings, neck collars, back boards, etc.). Drilling of a fingernail or toenail to relieve pres- sure, or draining fluid from a blister. + Using eye patches. + Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab. + Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs, or other simple means. + Using finger guards. + Using massages (physical therapy or chiropractic treatment are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping pur- poses). + Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress. Injury records must be maintained at the work site for at least five years. Each February through April, employers must post a summary of the injuries and illnesses recorded the previous year. If requested, copies of the records must be provided to current and former employees, or their representatives. When it comes to reporting severe injuries, remember employers MUST report any worker fatality within 8 hours and any amputation, loss of an eye, or hospitalization of a worker within 24 hours. 18 FEBRUARY 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®