The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration

announced a new final rule relating to employer notification of employee injuries. Employers

are now required to notify OSHA if an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related

hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. The rule updates the timeframe within which

employers must notify OSHA in these events. It also updates the list of employers who are

exempt from OSHA record-keeping requirements. It maintains the exemption for employers with

less than 10 employees. The new rule goes into effect on January 1, 2015.

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 4,405 workers were killed on the job

in 2013. We can and must do more to keep America’s workers safe and healthy,” said U.S.

Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “Workplace injuries and fatalities are absolutely

preventable, and these new requirements will help OSHA focus its resources and hold employers

accountable for preventing them.”

Employers are now required to notify OSHA of work-related fatalities within eight hours, and

work-related amputations, hospitalizations, or loss of an eye within 24 hours. This updates the

old rules which only required notification in the event of a death or hospitalization of three or

more employees.

“Hospitalizations and amputations are sentinel events, indicating that serious hazards are likely

to be present at a workplace and that an intervention is warranted to protect the other workers at

the establishment,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety

and health.

If you are concerned that your occupational safety and health protocols are not up-to-date given

the new regulations, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the new rules change,

please leave a comment.