OSHA reminds employers to post injury and illness summaries

Forms must be posted between Feb. 1 and April 30, 2013

By Jesse Lawder

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reminding employers to post OSHA Form 300A, which lists a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2012. The form must be posted between Feb. 1 and April 30, 2013.

The summary must include the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred in 2012 and were logged on OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. To assist in calculating incidence rates, information about the annual average number of employees and total hours worked during the calendar year is also required. If a company recorded no injuries or illnesses in 2012, the employer must enter "zero" on the total line. The form must be signed and certified by a company executive. Form 300A should be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted.

Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in certain industries are normally exempt from federal OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping and posting requirements. A complete list of exempt industries in the retail, services, finance, insurance and real estate sectors can be found at s.dol.gov/YP.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics may still select exempted employers to participate in an annual statistical survey. All employers covered by OSHA need to comply with safety and health standards. All accidents that result in one or more fatalities or in the hospitalization of three or more employees must be reported verbally within eight hours to the nearest OSHA office.

Copies of OSHA Forms 300 and 300A are available at s.dol.gov/YQ in either Adobe PDF or Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet format. For more information on recordkeeping requirements, visit the OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements Web page.