OSHA recordkeeping, explained
The 300 log and its deadlines, who is exempt and what they still owe, and how to get an incident reported while the details are fresh. Every rule is cited to the regulation itself, with English and Spanish guides.
9 guides2 en españolUpdated
OSHA deadlines at a glance
The clocks an incident starts, from the federal recordkeeping rule and one state child care rule.
| What | Deadline | Rule | Explained in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record a recordable case on the 300 log and 301 | 7 calendar days | 1904.29(b)(3) | OSHA 300 log guide |
| Report a work-related death to OSHA | 8 hours | 1904.39(a)(1) | Security guard guide |
| Report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye | 24 hours | 1904.39(a)(2) | Security guard guide |
| Post the 300A annual summary | Feb 1 to Apr 30 | 1904.32(b)(6) | OSHA 300 log guide |
| Submit 300A data to OSHA's ITA, if your size and industry require it | March 2 | 1904.41 | OSHA 300 log guide |
| Give an employee a copy of the 300 log | Next business day | 1904.35(b)(2)(iii) | Paper vs. digital incident log |
| Give OSHA copies of your records | 4 business hours | 1904.40(a) | Paper vs. digital incident log |
| Keep the 300, 300A and 301 | 5 years | 1904.33(a) | Paper vs. digital incident log |
| New York child care: tell the parent and OCFS about a serious incident | Immediately | 18 NYCRR 418-1.15(b)(14) | OCFS incident report guide |
The OSHA 300 log and its forms
What goes on the 300, 300A and 301, when the summary is posted, and who files with OSHA electronically.
OSHA 300 Log: Requirements, Posting Deadline, and How It Differs From the 300A
What the OSHA 300 log is, how it differs from the 300A and 301, when the 300A must post (Feb 1–Apr 30), and who has to submit data electronically.
12 questions answeredUpdated
Formulario OSHA 300: Qué Es, Cuándo Se Publica y En Qué Se Diferencia del 300A
Qué es el formulario OSHA 300, en qué se diferencia del 300A y el 301, cuándo debe publicarse (1 feb–30 abr), y qué empleadores deben enviarlo a OSHA.
En español8 preguntasActualizado
Who is exempt from OSHA recordkeeping
Two industries on OSHA's partially exempt list, and what they still have to report and document.
Does Your Security Guard Company Need to File OSHA Form 301?
Security guard companies (NAICS 5616) sit on OSHA's partially-exempt list, but severe-injury reporting and client/insurer documentation still apply.
5 questions answeredUpdated
Are Daycares Exempt From OSHA Recordkeeping?
Child day care services (NAICS 6244) are OSHA-exempt for staff injuries, which is unrelated to state incident-report rules for an injured child.
6 questions answeredUpdated
Reporting an incident
Getting a report written while the details are fresh, from a near miss to a workplace injury.
What Is a Near Miss? Definition and 30 Examples at Work
What a near miss is, in OSHA's own words, with 30 examples from construction sites, warehouses, kitchens and offices, and how it differs from an incident.
6 questions answeredUpdated
Incident Report Examples: 10 Written Samples and How to Write One
10 written incident report examples (injury, slip and fall, near miss, security, vehicle, spill), what every report needs, and how to write one at work.
6 questions answeredUpdated
Near Miss Reporting Software and Apps: 7 Options Compared (2026)
Near miss reporting software and apps compared on price, QR reporting and sign-in: IncidentLog, Mitti, Safesite, VelocityEHS, EHS Insight and free forms.
7 questions answeredUpdated
Reporte de Accidentes de Trabajo: Cómo Hacerlo y Cuánto Tiempo Tienes
Guía sobre cómo reportar un accidente de trabajo y los plazos reales: el plazo OSHA del empleador es distinto al del empleado, que varía por estado.
En español6 preguntasActualizado
State child care rules
Children's injuries are never an OSHA matter; state licensing rules decide what gets reported.
The short answers
- What does OSHA recordkeeping require?
- Covered employers record each work-related injury or illness that meets OSHA's criteria on the Form 300 log and a Form 301 within 7 calendar days, total the year on the Form 300A and post it from February 1 to April 30, and keep all three for 5 years (29 CFR Part 1904). Some establishments also submit the data to OSHA's Injury Tracking Application by March 2.
- Who is exempt from OSHA recordkeeping?
- Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year (29 CFR 1904.1), and establishments in the partially exempt industries listed in Appendix A to Subpart B, such as security services (NAICS 5616) and child day care (NAICS 6244) (1904.2). Neither keeps the log unless OSHA or BLS asks in writing.
- Does an exempt employer still have to report serious injuries?
- Yes. Every employer covered by the OSH Act reports a work-related fatality to OSHA within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours (29 CFR 1904.39), whatever its size or industry.
Not sure whether a case counts? Check it with the OSHA recordable injury checker, or grab a free incident report template.