Attorney David J. King

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How valuable is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s 300 log?

On Behalf of | Sep 8, 2021 | Workplace Injuries

If someone asked you how dangerous your job is, you might not know how to answer them unless you or someone close to you had personally suffered an injury while on the job. While some jobs are inherently dangerous, employers who enforce safety guidelines can make their workplaces much safer. 

One approach that some employers take to minimize the chances of their workers suffering injuries is to regularly review their Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300 log. OSHA requires almost every employer with 10 or greater employees to keep this log of any injury incidents that occur in their workplace. 

What is the 300 log, and what information do employers record on it?

The 300 log is actually an official OSHA form on which employers record injuries and illnesses occurring at their workplace that result in the following outcomes:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • A worker’s transfer to another role or restrictions on their work
  • Death
  • A worker’s serious illness or injury diagnosis
  • Any injury requiring more than just first aid to treat it
  • Injuries or illnesses that require workers to take leave to recuperate

Employers must record the following information for each reported injury incident or illness:

  • The location where the injury happened
  • What task a worker was carrying out when they got hurt
  • Whether the employee suffered their injuries while using certain equipment
  • How long an injured worker ended up having to take off work 

OSHA officials periodically analyze these reports to better understand any trends occurring in industries involving certain products or certain types of workers. They use this data to determine where additional advocacy or training efforts may be beneficial. The expectation is that employers and workers can also review these logs and use the information they glean to make their workplace safer.

Workers become ill or suffer injuries daily in the U.S. Many of them put off seeing a doctor, assuming their ailment will go away. That could be a costly mistake here in South Dakota, considering how state law only gives workers three days to report on-the-job accidents and injuries. This is just one of many pieces of information that you’ll want to know about workers’ comp to ensure you receive what you’re entitled to in your situation.

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