Introduction to OSHA

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Lesson Title Page Title Page Text
Rules and Guidelines Time Limits and Rules
for OSHA Online Pg: 1
Courses Quizzes and Final
Exam
Pg: 2
Getting Support
Pg: 3
Course Completion and Once you successfully complete all the assigned topics and the Final
Your OSHA Card Exam, you must complete the Course Evaluation as it is required by
Pg: 4 OSHA to receive your card.

Also, please check that your name and address are correct. Your card
will be printed with your name as it appears in the training system.
Your card will be mailed to your address as it appears in the training
system.

Note: Course reference material may be viewed or printed by

selecting the Class Guide link next to every topic name on the page
that displays all the lessons you must take.
The OSH Act and Hand Outs Please download the OSHA handout, as we will refer to it throughout
OSHA Pg: 1 the course.
Lesson Objectives
Pg: 2 In this lesson, Introduction to the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA), you will learn what OSHA is, its
role in the workplace, and employer and employee responsibilities.

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define the OSH Act and the individuals it covers.

• Explain OSHA's role and responsibilities in ensuring safe and
healthy work environments.
• Describe the process of developing safety and health standards.
Workplace Health and
Safety Hazards Each year:
Pg: 4
• There are over 5,000 deaths from workplace injuries.
• On average, 14 workers die every day from job injuries
• Workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths cost America over
$200 billion.

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The OSH Act and The Occupational
OSHA Safety and Health Until 1970, there were no uniform rules or regulations for worker
(OSH) Act protection against safety and health hazards. Congress passed the
Pg: 5 Occupational Safety and Health, or OSH, Act in 1970, and President
Nixon signed the OSH Act on December 29, 1970 to assure safe and
healthful working conditions for working men and women.

The OSH Act enabled a nationwide federal program to protect workers

from job-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses. This Act also created
OSHA - the Occupational Safety and Health Administration - an agency
of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA formally came into being on
April 28, 1971, and OSHA's responsibility is worker safety and health
protection.

The OSH Act

Pg: 6 The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act:

• Authorized enforcement of the standards developed under the

Act;
• Assisted and encouraged the states in their efforts to assure
safe and healthful working conditions; and
• Provided for research, information, education, and training in
the field of occupational safety and health.
Who Is Covered?
Pg: 7 The OSH Act covers employers and their employees under Federal
Government authority. This includes all employers and their employees
in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all other
territories under Federal Government jurisdiction.

Who is Not Covered?

Pg: 8 The OSH Act does not cover self-employed persons or immediate
members of farm families that do not employ outside workers.

It also does not include working conditions regulated by other federal

agencies under other federal statutes. Examples of this include:

• The Mine Safety and Health Administration

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• The Coast Guard

If another federal agency is authorized to regulate safety and health

working conditions in a particular industry, but does not do so in
specific areas, then OSHA standards apply.

State Plans
Pg: 10 The OSH Act encourages states to develop and operate their own job
safety and health plans. OSHA approves and monitors all state plans.
Once a state plan is approved, OSHA funds up to 50 percent of the
program's operating costs. State plans must provide standards and
enforcement programs, as well as voluntary compliance activities that
are at least as effective as the federal program.

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The OSH Act and What is OSHA?
OSHA Pg: 11 The OSH Act established a special agency within the Labor
Department, called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(or OSHA), to regulate health and safety conditions for employers.

OSHA's mission is to assure safe and healthy working conditions for

working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by
providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.

OSHA’s Role Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA's role is to:
Pg: 12 • Encourage employers and employees to reduce workplace
hazards and implement new or improve existing safety and
health programs.
• Develop and enforce mandatory job safety and health
standards.
• Maintain a reporting and recordkeeping system to monitor job-
related injuries and illnesses.
• Provide assistance, training, and other support programs to
help employers and workers.
OSHA's Impact
Pg: 14 Since OSHA's creation, the nation has made substantial progress in
occupational safety and health. Some achievements include:

• Workplace fatalities have been cut by more than 65 percent.

• Occupational injury and illness rates have been reduced by
more than 67 percent.

In this same period, U.S. employment has doubled from 56 million

workers at 3.5 million worksites to more than 130 million workers at 8
million sites.

OSHA Standards
Pg: 15 OSHA is responsible for writing and enforcing safety and health
standards that employers must follow.

OSHA issues standards for a wide variety of workplace hazards,

including:

• Toxic substances
• Infectious diseases
• Fire and explosion hazards
• Dangerous atmospheres
• Machine, electrical, and fall hazards

OSHA standards cover areas including general industry, construction,

shipyard employment, maritime terminals, longshoring, and some
agricultural activities.

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The OSH Act and How OSHA Develops
OSHA Standards OSHA can begin standards-setting procedures on its own, or in
Pg: 16 response to petitions from other parties, including:

• The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH),
• State and local governments,
• Nationally recognized standards-producing organizations and
employer or labor representatives, or
• Any other interested parties under Federal Government
authority.
The Rulemaking OSHA has a specific rulemaking process to develop its standards.
Process These 7 steps are as follows:
Pg: 17 1. Make the decision to create, amend, or revoke a standard,
which involves conducting research and meeting with
stakeholders.
2. Develop the proposed rule, including discussion about intended
rule.
3. Publish the proposed rule and plan of public hearings for
review.
4. Develop and analyze the rulemaking record, which includes
reviewing the public comments.
5. Develop the final rule with any updates based on research.
6. Publish the final rule.
7. Perform post-promulgation activities, including guidelines for
compliance.
Lesson Summary Review these lesson key points to prepare for the lesson quiz:
Pg: 19 • The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act established a
federal program to protect workers from job-related deaths,
injuries, and illnesses.
• Most employers and their employees in US states and territories
are subject to the OSH Act. Exceptions include those who are
self-employed, immediate members of farm families without
outside workers, and working conditions regulated by other
federal agencies.
• States are encouraged to enact their own health and safety
plans.
• The OSH Act also created the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA).
• OSHA sets and enforces standards to assure safe and healthy
working conditions for workers. It provides training, outreach,
education, and assistance. It also maintains a reporting and
recordkeeping system to monitor job-related deaths, injuries,
and illnesses.
• OSHA has a 7-step rulemaking process to develop its standards.

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Employer and Lesson Objectives In this lesson, Employer and Worker Responsibilities, you will
Worker Pg: 1 learn about your employer’s responsibilities under OSHA. You will also
Responsibilities learn about your responsibilities as well as how you can exercise your
rights under OSHA.

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify your employer's responsibility to provide a workplace
free of hazards.
• Recognize the importance of the General Duty Clause.
• Explain your rights and responsibilities as an employee.
Employer
Responsibilities Employers must provide a safe and healthful workplace free of serious
Pg: 2 recognized hazards and comply with OSHA standards. They are
responsible for evaluating workplace conditions and taking measures
to minimize or eliminate potential hazards.

Your employer is required to be familiar with any applicable OSHA

standards and to make copies of standards available to you on your
request.

Additional Employer
Responsibilities Other employer responsibilities include:
Pg: 3
• Keeping workers informed about OSHA and safety and health
matters with which they are involved.
• Complying with all applicable standards, rules, and regulations
issued under the OSH Act.
• Providing employee training and medical examinations when
required by OSHA standards, and provide workers access to
their exposure and medical records.
• Complying with recordkeeping requirements, including
recording all work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Establishing or updating operating procedures and
communicating them so that employees follow safety and
health requirements
• Preventing discrimination against workers who exercise their
rights under the Act (Section 11(c)).
OSHA Poster Please refer to Handout #1: OSHA Poster.
Pg: 4
OSHA Poster

Employers are required to post the OSHA Poster and keep it posted as
a notice of employee protections and obligations provided under the
OSH Act. Approved state-specific OSHA program posters are available
in lieu of the federal OSHA poster.

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Employer and Personal Protective Please refer to Handout #2: Employers Must Provide and Pay for Most
Worker Equipment (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Responsibilities Pg: 5
OSHA requires employers to provide personal protective equipment
(PPE). PPE is the last line of defense if the hazard cannot be controlled
at the source or employees must work in or around the hazard.

Handout #2 outlines the employer obligations as follows:

• Perform a hazard assessment of the workplace to identify and
control both physical and health hazards.
• Identify and provide PPE for employees.
• Train employees as to the proper use and care of the PPE
provided.
• Maintain PPE and replace worn or damaged PPE.
• Periodically review, update, and evaluate the effectiveness of
the PPE program.
The employees must wear the PPE provided, attend the PPE training
sessions, and care, clean, and maintain PPE. In addition, the worker
must inform his or her supervisor when the PPE needs repair or
replacement.
Hazards Employers must have a completed written hazards communication
Communications program that includes information on:
Program 1. Container labeling
Pg: 7 2. Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
3. Worker training
This training must include the physical and health hazards of any
chemicals used. It must also describe how workers can protect
themselves from those hazards, including specific protective
procedures your employer has implemented such as:
• Work practices
• Emergency procedures
• Required PPE
The General Duty
Clause Where OSHA has not issued specific standards, employers are
Pg: 8 responsible for following the OSH Act's General Duty Clause. Under the
clause, employers must protect employees from identified hazards
even without an established standard.

The General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
states, "Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees
employment and a place of employment which are free from
recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or
serious physical harm to his employees."

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Employer and Employee
Worker Responsibilities Employees are responsible for complying with all applicable standards,
Responsibilities Pg: 9 rules, regulations, and orders issued under the OSH Act. This includes:

• Reading the OSHA "It's the Law" poster posted at your jobsite.
• Complying with employer safety and health rules and
regulations.
• Using all required protective equipment.
• Following safe work practices as directed by your employer.
• Reporting hazardous conditions to your supervisor.
• Reporting any job-related injury or illness to your employer and
seeking treatment promptly.
• Cooperating with OSHA inspectors.
Identifying Workplace Employees have a vital role to play in recognizing and correcting
Hazards problems in their workplaces while working with their employers
Pg: 11 whenever possible.

Use the following questions to help identify problems:

• Do you/your coworkers have injuries or health complaints?
• Has anyone been injured or exhibited other physical symptoms?
• When do you/your coworkers experience these symptoms?
• In the workplace, where are safety or health problems
occurring?
• What conditions are causing problems?
Your Rights
Pg: 12 You have the right to a safe workplace that complies with OSHA
standards and is free of known or suspected hazards, including the
rights to:

• Receive training required by OSHA standards from your

employer.
• Access information regarding OSHA standards, job hazards,
workers’ rights and employee injuries and illnesses from your
employer.
• Ask your employer to correct hazards even if they are not
violations of specific OSHA standards.
Additional Rights as an
Employee In addition, you have the right to:
Pg: 13
• Participate in an OSHA inspection of your workplace.
• Access the results of an OSHA inspection.
• Attend any meetings or hearings to discuss any objections your
employer has to citations or to changes in abatement deadlines.
• Request a research investigation on possible workplace health
hazards.

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Employer and Whistleblower Please refer to Handout #3: Your Rights as a Whistleblower.
Worker Complaint
Responsibilities Pg: 14 Section 11(c) of the OSH Act gives workers the right to seek safe and
healthful conditions on the job without being disciplined or fired.

You have the right to file a whistleblower complaint if, after you have
exercised your right to a safe and healthy workplace, your employer
takes unfavorable personnel action against you.

Unfavorable personnel actions include:

• Firing, laying off, blacklisting, reassignment, or demoting
• Denying benefits, overtime, or promotion
• Disciplinary actions
• Failing to hire or rehire
• Intimidation
• Reducing pay or hours
Filing an OSHA While anyone who knows about a workplace safety or health hazard
Complaint may report unsafe conditions to OSHA, it’s a good practice to try to
Pg: 15 abate the hazard and prevent further exposure before OSHA would
need to be involved.

First contact your team leader, supervisor, manager, safety

committee, etc. If that does not work then do one of the following:
1. Call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA
2. Obtain an OSHA complaint form online at www.osha.gov
3. Visit your local OSHA office
4. File a complaint online at www.osha.gov
Right to Refuse Work Employees have the right to refuse to perform a given task if they
Pg: 16 believe in good faith it exposes them to an imminent danger.

Good faith means that even if an imminent danger does not exist, the
worker had reasonable grounds to believe that it did exist previously.
(NOTE: As a rule, the employee does not have the right to walk off the
job because of an unsafe condition).

Your right to refuse work is protected if all of the following conditions

are met:
• You have asked your employer to eliminate the danger and the
employer failed to do so; and
• You refused to work in good faith; and
• A reasonable person would agree there is real danger of death
or serious injury; and
• There is not enough time to correct through regular channels.
Right to Refuse Work: When all conditions are met, you should take the following steps:
Next Steps • Ask your employer to correct the hazard;
Pg: 17 • Ask your employer for other work;
• Tell your employer that you won’t perform the work unless and
until the hazard is corrected; and
• Remain at the worksite until ordered to leave by your employer.

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Employer and Right to Refuse Work: Use the following table as guidance to determine whether to refuse
Worker Scenarios work due to dangerous conditions.
Responsibilities Pg: 19 IF THEN You believe the working conditions on the jobsite are unsafe
or unhealthful… Call your employer’s attention to the problem Your
employer does not correct the hazard or disagrees with the extent of
the perceived hazard… You may file a complaint with OSHA. Your
employer discriminates or retaliates against you for refusing to
perform the work... Contact OSHA immediately.
Informal Conference When issued a citation or notice of a proposed penalty, an employer
Pg: 31 may request an informal conference with OSHA's area director to
discuss the case. OSHA authorizes its area directors to reach
settlement agreements with employers that adjust citations and
penalties to avoid prolonged legal disputes.

OSHA must conduct an informal conference requested by an employer

within the 15-working-day contest period.

Lesson Summary Review these lesson key points to prepare for the lesson quiz:
Pg: 33 • Employers must be familiar with all applicable OSHA standards.
They are required to evaluate workplace conditions and take
measures to mitigate potential hazards.
• Employers must provide training, medical examinations as
required by OSHA, and PPE where appropriate.
• Employers are required to complete a written hazards
communication program that includes information regarding
container labeling, safety data sheets (SDS), and worker
training.
• The General Duty Clause states that employers must protect
their employees from identified hazards even without an
established standard.
• Employees must comply with all applicable standards, rules,
regulations, and orders issued under the OSH Act.
• Employees have the right to refuse work if they believe it
exposes them to imminent danger.
Inspections Lesson Objectives
Pg: 3 In this lesson; Inspections, you will learn about the OSHA inspection
process. You will also learn about the rights of employers and
employees during inspections.

After completing this lesson; you should be able to:

• Describe OSHA’s inspection process.

• Explain your employer’s rights during and after an inspection.
• Identify your rights during and after an inspection.
• Identify the four main stages of the inspection process.

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Inspections Who is Subject to
Inspections? The OSH Act authorizes OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers
Pg: 4 (CSHO's) to conduct workplace inspections to enforce compliance with
its standards. Every workplace covered by the OSH Act is subject to
inspection.

Most inspections are conducted without advance notice except in rare

circumstances, such as imminent danger.

Any CSHO who tells an employer about an OSHA inspection in advance

can receive fines and a jail term.

Compliance Officer
Qualifications OSHA compliance officers have specialized knowledge and experience
Pg: 5 in workplace safety and health, including industrial hygiene, safety
engineering, toxicology, and occupational medicine.

They receive vigorous training on OSHA standards as well as how to

recognize safety and health hazards. Many officers have specialized
credentials such as certified industrial hygienist (CIH) or certified
safety professional (CSP) certifications.

Inspection Authority
Pg: 6 The OSHA compliance officer is authorized to enter any workplace or
work environment immediately during regular business operations to
inspect and investigate all pertinent conditions, structures, machines,
apparatus, devices, equipment, and materials.

The compliance officer may also perform inspections and

investigations at other times outside of business operations, within
reasonable limits.

The officer is permitted to question any employer, owner, operator,

agent, or employee privately.

Advance Notice
Pg: 7 While OSHA conducts most inspections without advance notice, there
are some special circumstances when OSHA may give an employer up
to 24 hours advance notice. These include:

• Imminent danger situations that require immediate correction

• Inspections that must take place after regular business hours or
require special preparation
• Cases where OSHA must provide advance notice to assure that
the employer and employer representative or other personnel
will be present
• Situations in which OSHA determines that advance notice would
produce a more thorough or effective inspection

Employers receiving advance notice of an inspection must inform their

employees' representative or arrange for OSHA to do so.

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Inspections Employer Rights
Pg: 9 The OSH Act grants employers important rights during and after an
OSHA inspection. An employer may:

• Request and receive proper identification of OSHA compliance

officers
• Require the compliance officer to obtain an inspection warrant
before entering the worksite
• Be advised by the compliance officer of the reason for an
inspection
• File a notice of contest to dispute inspection results
• Be assured of the confidentiality of any trade secrets
Legal Action
Pg: 10 OSHA may take appropriate steps up to and including legal action if an
employer refuses to admit a compliance officer after an inspection
warrant has been obtained or if an employer attempts to interfere with
an inspection.

Inspection Priorities
Pg: 11
The Inspection Process
Pg: 15 A typical onsite OSHA inspection includes four stages:

• Presentation of inspector credentials

• Opening conference
• Inspection walk-around
• Closing conference

Let's look at each of these steps.

Inspector Credentials
Pg: 16 Inspector Credentials

Upon arrival, the inspector will display official credentials bearing a

U.S. Department of Labor photo I.D. and a serial number that the
employer can verify by phoning the nearest OSHA office. The
compliance officer will then ask to meet an appropriate employer
representative.

Opening Conference
Pg: 17 Opening Conference

In the opening conference, the compliance officer will explain the

purpose of the visit (why OSHA selected the workplace for inspection)
and the scope of the inspection. The officer will determine whether an
OSHA-funded consultation program is in progress or the facility has
received an inspection exemption. If so, the inspection will usually be
terminated.

The employer selects a representative to accompany the compliance

officer during the inspection. An authorized employee representative is
also welcome to accompany the inspector.

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Inspections The Inspection Walk-
Around Inspection Walk-Around
Pg: 18
After the opening conference, the compliance officer and employer
representative will then proceed to walk through the workplace,
inspecting work areas for potentially hazardous working conditions.

Some inspections may cover only part of an establishment, especially

if the inspection resulted from a specific complaint, fatality, or
catastrophe. Other inspections may cover the entire facility.

Any trade secrets observed during this process are confidential.

The officer will discuss possible corrective actions with the employer
and may consult with employees, sometimes privately, during the
inspection.

Employee Participation Employee representatives are permitted to follow the CSHO during
Pg: 19 inspection or workers may choose to talk to the inspector privately.

Workers may point out hazards and describe injuries, illnesses, or near
misses that resulted from those hazards. Employees may also describe
any concern they may have about any safety or health-related issue.

Workers also have the right to find out the results of the inspection
and the abatement measures required. Workers can also object to the
abatement date set for a violation to be corrected.
Focused Inspections Focused Inspection in Construction
Pg: 21
In construction, a focused inspection can be requested in place of a
full inspection.

The focused inspection will concentrate on the four major causes of

fatalities in construction, commonly known as the Focus Four:
• Falls
• Struck-by
• Electrocutions
• Caught-In or -Between
In order to qualify for a Focused Inspection the project must have:
1. A safety and health program in compliance of 29 CFR 1926
Subpart C
2. A designated competent person responsible for the overall
safety and health program
The CSHO will then verify that the safety and health program matches
through his or her visual observation or employee interviews.

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Inspections Posting and Records
Review Posting and Records Review
Pg: 23
The compliance officer will also check posting and recordkeeping
practices to ensure that the employer has:

• Maintained records of job-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses;

• Posted OSHA’s Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
(OSHA 300A) from February 1 to April 30; and
• Prominently displayed the OSHA “It’s the Law” poster.
Immediate Corrections
Pg: 24 Immediate Corrections

Some violations detected by the compliance officer can be corrected

immediately. The compliance officer records the corrections to help
evaluate the employer’s good faith for compliance.

However, even when an immediate correction is possible, the

apparent violations may still serve as the basis for a citation or notice
of proposed penalty or both.

Closing Conference
Pg: 25 Closing Conference

Once the inspection is complete, a closing conference is held with the

employer and employee representatives. The compliance officer will
report all unsafe or unhealthful conditions and indicate any violations
recommended for citation.

The CSHO explains the employer’s appeal rights, anti-discrimination

rights, procedures for contesting citations within 15 working days after
receiving the citation, and their obligations regarding any citations
issued.

As requested, a separate closing conference may be held with the

employees or their representative to discuss any matters of direct
interest to employees and to inform them of their rights after an
inspection.

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Inspections Lesson Summary Review these lesson key points to prepare for the lesson quiz:
Pg: 31 • OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) conduct
workplace inspections to enforce compliance with OSHA
standards.
• CSHOs is authorized to enter any workplace or work
environment immediately during regular business operations.
They may perform inspections at times outside of regular hours.
• The CSHO is permitted to question any employer, owner,
operator, agent, or employee privately.
• Most inspections are conducted without advance notice, except
in special circumstances where they may give the employer
advance notice up to 24 hours.
• A typical OSHA inspection includes four stages: presentation of
inspector credentials, opening conference, inspection walk
around and closing conference.
• OSHA prioritizes inspections by focusing on where inspections
have the most impact on the safety and health of employees.
• Employees have the right to participate in OSHA inspections.
• A focused inspection can be requested in place of a full
inspection. A focused inspection concentrates on fall hazards,
struck-by hazards, electrocutions hazards, and caught –in or –
between hazards.
Citations and Lesson Objectives
Penalties Pg: 3 In this lesson, Citations and Penalties, you will learn about the
various types of citations and penalties issued by OSHA. You will also
learn about the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees
upon notification of citations and penalties.

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define the types of violations and penalties issued with OSHA

citations.
• Describe your employer’s responsibilities when OSHA imposes
citations and penalties.
• Explain employer and employee rights regarding citations and
penalties.
Issuing Citations
Pg: 4 After an inspection, OSHA has up to six months to issue a final report
of findings. After the compliance officer reports the inspection’s
results, the OSHA area director determines whether citations and
penalties are appropriate.

Citations and notices of proposed penalties are sent to the employer

by certified mail.

Types of Violations and

Penalties
Pg: 5

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Citations and Most Frequently Cited Click on the link below and follow the directions to view the current
Penalties Standards date on most frequently cited standards.
Pg: 6
Most Frequently Cited (MFC)

To search MFC data on the webpage:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/citedstandard.html

From “Select number of employees in establishment,” select ALL or

one of the options listed.

From “Federal or State Jurisdiction,” select FEDERAL, or from the

dropdown menu select a specific state.

From “NAICS,” leave the field empty for a NAICS list, or enter a
specific NAICS code.

From this you will be shown search results for all sizes of
establishments, in Federal jurisdiction, with NAICS codes.
Posting Citations
Pg: 8 Any citations issued will inform the employer and employees of the
regulations and standards allegedly violated and the proposed length
of time set for abatement of the hazards.

The employer must post a copy of each citation at or near the place
where the violation occurred for three days or until the violation is
corrected, whichever is longer.

Employer Rights
Pg: 10 Notice of Contest

After receiving the inspection results and reviewing any citations, the
time set for abatement and proposed penalties, the employer has 15
business days to file a notice of contest by contacting the OSHA area
director in writing.

While there is no specific format required for the notice of contest, it

must clearly identify the:

• Employer’s basis for contesting the citation, and

• Notice of proposed penalty, abatement period, or notification of
failure to correct the violation.
Employee Rights
Pg: 11 If an employee believes any or all of the abatement dates set for
violations are unreasonable, he or she may request an informal
conference with OSHA.

The employee or the employee representative must file a written

Notice of Intent to Contest with OSHA within 15 working days after
the employer received the citation. OSHA must conduct the informal
conference within the 15 working day contest period.

If OSHA initiated an inspection due to an employee complaint, the

employee or authorized employee representative may also request an
informal review of any decision not to issue a citation.

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Citations and Additional Employee
Penalties Rights Employees may also contest their employer’s request for an extension
Pg: 12 of the abatement period within:

• Ten working days of its posting, or

• Ten working days after the authorized employee representative
has received a copy.
Employees may not contest citations, penalties, or lack of penalties.
Sources Outside the Additional safety and health information may be found in the following
Workplace locations:
Pg: 13 • The OSHA website and OSHA office
• Compliance Assistance Specialists in the area offices
• OSHA’s research division, the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• OSHA Training Institute Education Centers
• Doctors, nurses, other health care providers
• Public libraries
• Other local community-based resources
Navigating the OSHA OSHA’s website is a valuable resource containing information on:
Website • Regulation highlights
Pg: 14 • OSHA’s bimonthly newsletter, “Quick Takes”
• Worker fatality reports
• Training materials
You can search content through the A to Z index or use the “search”
feature on the top right corner of the webpage.
Lesson Summary Review these lesson key points to prepare for the lesson quiz:
Pg: 18 • OSHA has up to 6 months to issue a final report of findings
once an inspection is complete. The OSHA area director
determines whether citations and penalties are appropriate.
• OSHA has five classifications of violations: Other-Than-Serious,
Serious, Willful, Repeated, and Failure to Abate. The penalties
issued depend on the severity of the violation.
• Citations include the regulations and standards allegedly
violated and the proposed length of time set for abatement of
the hazards.
• Employers must post a copy of each citation at or near where
the violation occurred for three days or until the violation is
corrected.
• Employers have 15 business days to file a notice of contest
• Employees may request an informal conference with OSHA if
they believe the abatement dates set for violations are
unreasonable.
• Employees may not contest citations, penalties, or lack of
penalties.

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Record Keeping and Lesson Objectives
Reporting Pg: 3 In this lesson, Record Keeping and Reporting, you will learn about
OSHA’s requirements for recording injuries and illnesses sustained on
the jobs.

After completing this lesson, you should be able to:

• Explain the purpose of keeping records of job-related injuries

and illnesses.
• Describe OSHA’s requirements for recordkeeping and reporting.
• Explain your employer’s responsibilities for keeping and
maintaining records.
The Importance of
Keeping Records OSHA's recordkeeping rule requires most employers with more than
Pg: 5 10 employees to maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses
as they occur.

Keeping records allows OSHA to:

• Compile survey material.

• Identify high-hazard industries.
• Inform employees about their employers' workplace safety
record.
Records also help employers identify potential sources of injuries and
illnesses at their worksites.
OSHA Forms OSHA has three forms for employers to use in recordkeeping:
Pg: 6 • Form 300: Commonly known as the “OSHA log,” this form is
used to log work-related injuries and illnesses.
• Form 300A: A summary of work-related injuries and illnesses
for the worksite.
• Form 301: The injury and illness incident report.
Employer
Responsibilities Employers must log injuries and illnesses on record keeping forms,
Pg: 7 keep the logs current, and retain them for five years at each
workplace.

Certain employers will also be required to submit the information to

OSHA electronically in the following circumstances:
• The business has 250 or more employees in an industry falling
under the recordkeeping regulation; employers must submit
information from forms 300, 300A, and 301.
• The business has 20-249 employees in an industry with
historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses; employers
must submit form 300A.
• The business maintains fewer than 20 employees throughout
the year; they must submit information if requested to do so by OSHA.
Employers are also required to make the records available for
inspection and copying at the request of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, or the state during any investigation,
research, or statistical compilation within four business hours of the
request.

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Record Keeping and Employee Rights Employers are required to make the records accessible to employees.
Reporting Pg: 11 Workers have the right to review the current log as well as those
stored for the past 5 years.

Workers also have the right to view the annually posted summary of
the injuries and illness (OSHA 300A), which are posted from February
1 through April 30 each year.

Reporting Reporting Requirements

Requirements • Any workplace incident that results in a fatality must be
Pg: 12 reported to the nearest OSHA area or by the 24-hour OSHA
hotline number office within eight hours.
• All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, loss of eye(s), or
amputations must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours.

All employers must follow this requirement, including those partially

exempted because of company size or industry classification.

It is also important that employees consistently report injuries that

occur on the job. It is the employer’s responsibility to inform workers
on the proper way to report an injury or illness.

Fatalities or
Hospitalizations The fatality or hospitalization must be reported via the OSHA 24-hour
Pg: 17 phone number or OSHA online reporting system. Provide the following
information:

• The name of the establishment

• Location and time of the incident
• Number of fatalities or hospitalized employees
• Your contact person and their phone number
• A brief description of the incident

Employers must also report all fatal heart attacks that happen in the
workplace.

Deaths from motor vehicle accidents on public streets (except in

construction work zones) or in accidents on commercial airplanes,
trains, subways, or buses do not need to be reported.

Lesson Summary Review these lesson key points to prepare for the lesson quiz:
Pg: 20 • OSHA’s recordkeeping rule requires most employers to log and
maintain records of job-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
• Depending on the size and/or industry of the business,
employers may be required to submit their records to OSHA
electronically.
• Employees have the right to review the current log of job-
related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses, as well as those stored
for the past five years. They also have the right to view the
annually posted summary of the injuries and illnesses.
• Any workplace incident resulting in a fatality must be reported
to the nearest OSHA area within eight hours. Any deaths due to
heart attacks occurring in the workplace must also be reported.
• All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, loss of eye(s), or
amputations must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours.

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