Keeping the OSHA 300 injury and illness log for your company can be challenging, as in the following example.
A former employee tells you that he or she had just come from their personal physician about a possible work-related injury. The physician recommended physical therapy and provided a prescription muscle relaxer to your former employee.
However, the event that caused the injury actually occurred almost two months prior. At the time the injury occurred, the employee still worked for you but did not require medical attention beyond first aid, nor did the employee seek additional medical treatment.
Now what are you supposed to do? Is this recordable?
If the physician believes that the injury or illness was a result of the work environment, then it is recordable. If the injury resulted from a known, single event, use that date, even if the injury did not meet the recording criteria until a later time. If the injury or illness develops over time, such as carpal-tunnel syndrome, then the injury is recorded on the date it becomes recordable, or on the date it is diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional.
If you have a "contemporaneous" medical opinion, the employer can choose the opinion which is most authoritative.
KellerOnline has a number of features which can help you with your OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Log. First, you can keep all of your injury and illness records right on KOL through Interactive Tools, under Incidents (Form 300/301). You can create an individual record for each employee, and track all injuries and illnesses that employee may experience. Also, KOL offers a Frequently Asked Questions - Recordkeeping (injury and illness) area which contains many of the most commonly asked questions regarding the 300 Log. Often you may find answers to your questions in this area.
Through KOL you can also access the OSHA Recordkeeping Handbook which contains not only the regulation, but the related interpretations for the recording and reporting standard.
Click here to register for the free webcast on Recordkeeping, scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2009 11:00 AM Central Time.