The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) recordkeeping and reporting rules require certain employers to record work-related injuries and illnesses, and report serious incidents directly to OSHA. The rule requires all employers to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related in‑patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. The rule also includes a list of employers partially exempt from OSHA recordkeeping requirements.
Reporting fatalities and severe injuries
All employers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act must report the following work-related incidents to OSHA, even if they are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records:
- Work-related fatalities within eight hours of learning about the incident.
- Work-related in‑patient hospitalizations within 24 hours.
- Amputations within 24 hours.
- Loss of an eye within 24 hours.
How to report incidents to OSHA
You can report these incidents to OSHA by:
- Calling OSHA’s 24‑hour hotline at 800‑321‑OSHA (6742).
- Calling the nearest OSHA area office in Texas during normal business hours.
- Reporting online using OSHA’s Serious Event Reporting Online Form (OSHA online reporting tool).
For more details, see OSHA’s Reporting Fatalities and Severe Injuries Fact Sheet.
Who must keep OSHA injury and illness records?
Many employers must keep OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301 to record work-related injuries and illnesses. Some employers are partially exempt because of their size or industry classification.
Partially exempt employers include:
- Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year.
- Certain low‑hazard industries that OSHA lists as partially exempt.
For more information about which industries are exempt or newly covered, see:
- Revised list of exempt industries – OSHA’s current list of partially exempt industries.
- Industries newly required to keep records – OSHA list of industries that include establishments newly required to keep OSHA injury and illness records.
- NAICS System – U.S. Census NAICS code information to help determine your industry.
- Updates to OSHA’s Reporting and Recordkeeping Rule – who is required to keep records and who is exempt.
Electronic submission (Injury Tracking Application)
Certain employers must electronically submit injury and illness data to OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application:
- Establishments in certain high‑risk industries with 20–249 employees must submit Form 300A summary data annually.
- Some larger establishments in designated industries must also submit information from Forms 300 and 301, in addition to Form 300A.
- The submission deadline is generally March 2 for the previous calendar year.
Learn more about OSHA’s electronic submission requirements and the Injury Tracking Application:
OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application information page – resources for electronic submission of injury and illness data.
- OSHA Injury Tracking Application – online login and submission portal.
- Certain high‑risk industries – OSHA PDF listing NAICS codes that must submit electronically.
Posting and retention
- Employers must post the OSHA Form 300A summary in a visible location from February 1 through April 30 each year.
- OSHA injury and illness records must generally be kept for five years following the end of the calendar year they cover.
OSHA provides the Forms for Recording Work‑Related Injuries and Illnesses (300, 300A, and 301) package online.
Employee reporting and anti‑retaliation
Employers must have a reasonable procedure for employees to report work‑related injuries and illnesses and may not discourage or retaliate against employees for reporting. Employers must also inform employees of their right to report injuries and illnesses free from retaliation, which can be supported by posting the required OSHA workplace poster.
- OSHA workplace poster – “Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law.”
Helpful OSHA resources
For more information on OSHA’s recordkeeping and reporting rules, see:
- OSHA Fact Sheet – Updates on OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule: Reporting Fatalities and Severe Injuries.
- OSHA Fact Sheet – Updates on OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule: An Overview.
- OSHA Fact Sheet – Who is Required to Keep Records and Who is Exempt.
- OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting YouTube video.
- OSHA Recordkeeping website.
- Final revised rule.
- Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- NAICS System.
Helpful DWC resources
The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) provides free help with OSHA compliance assistance to small to medium‑size businesses through its Occupational Safety and Health Consultation (OSHCON) Program. OSHCON is a non‑regulatory program; its professional safety and health consultants can help you identify and eliminate occupational hazards in your workplace, whether or not your company carries workers’ compensation insurance.
For information about the OSHCON program and help with OSHA standards, including recordkeeping, contact OSHCON at 800‑687‑7080 or OSHCON@tdi.texas.gov, or visit the OSHCON website.
For more information on OSHA recordkeeping and reporting, DWC also offers:
- OSHA Recordkeeping Fact Sheet (English/Spanish).
- OSHA Recordkeeping & Reporting Safety Training Program (English/Spanish).
To request training, or for more information, call 512‑804‑4610 or email SafetyTraining@tdi.texas.gov.