Keeping Records of Workplace Injuries

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Recordkeeping and reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses

WAC 296-27 requires many employers to keep records of employee injuries and illnesses that occur at their worksites. Records must be kept on an Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) 300 form.

The records provide injury and illness statistical data and describe the type of injury and, usually, its cause.

These records can be used to:

• Manage company safety and health programs.
• Locate workplace hazards.
• Raise employee awareness regarding safety and health issues.
• Determine the need for better guarded machinery.
• Establish the need for additional employee training.

The following types of employers are exempt from OSHA 300 recordkeeping:

• Employers with ten or less employees.
• Employers in the retail and services sector; such as:
  • Department stores.
  • Banks.
  • Real estate.
• Public schools.
• Libraries.

These records are not used to:

• Keep records for injuries sustained outside of the workplace.
• Record minor injuries that only require first-aid treatment and do not involve medical treatment by a doctor or clinic.
• Prove that a Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) violation exists.
• Make decisions affecting workers' compensation.