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OSHA 300 Injury Log

Workplace Injury and Illness Recording

Medium ~20 min per incident EmploymentSafetyOSHAWorkplace

/ What is this form?

OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, is the federal recordkeeping form required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under 29 CFR Part 1904. It is the running annual log where employers track every recordable work-related injury or illness throughout the calendar year. There are approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses recorded annually across US workplaces.

The 300 Log works alongside two companion forms: OSHA Form 300A (Annual Summary), which compiles year-end totals that must be posted in the workplace February 1–April 30; and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report), which provides detailed information about each individual incident. Together, these three forms comprise the OSHA recordkeeping system.

Recordkeeping requirements apply to employers with 10 or more employees in most industries. Some low-hazard industries (retail, finance, insurance) are partially exempt but must still report severe injuries. Failure to maintain accurate records or post the 300A can result in OSHA citations and penalties.

/ Who needs this form?

  • Employers with 10 or more employees in industries not classified as low-hazard exempt
  • Safety managers and HR professionals who track workplace incidents
  • Any employer, regardless of size, when a severe injury (hospitalization, amputation, eye loss, or fatality) occurs
  • Companies with 250+ employees who must submit 300A data electronically to OSHA annually
  • Organizations subject to OSHA inspection who must have records available within 4 business hours

/ What you need before you start

Employee's full name and job title
Date of injury or illness onset
Location where the incident occurred within the facility
Description of the injury and how it occurred
Name and address of the physician or healthcare professional who treated the employee
Number of days away from work or on restricted duty
Whether the employee lost consciousness

/ Step-by-step guide

1 Determine If Recording Is Required
Employers with 10 or more employees at any point during the previous year must keep OSHA 300 records, unless their industry is classified as partially exempt (many retail, finance, insurance, and real estate businesses). All employers, regardless of size, must report severe injuries (hospitalizations, amputations, eye loss) to OSHA within 24 hours.
2 Log Each Recordable Incident Within 7 Days
A work-related injury or illness is recordable if it results in: death, days away from work, restricted work/job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or a diagnosed significant injury by a healthcare professional. Log each incident on the 300 form within 7 calendar days of learning of the incident.
3 Complete All Required Columns
For each case: enter the employee name, job title, date of injury, where the event occurred, and a brief description of the injury/illness and how it occurred. Check the appropriate columns: injury, skin disorder, respiratory condition, poisoning, hearing loss, or all other illnesses. Check outcome columns: days away, job transfer/restriction, other recordable, or other.
4 Prepare the 300A Annual Summary
At year end, transfer totals from the 300 Log to the 300A Summary. A company executive must certify the 300A. Post the 300A summary in a visible workplace location from February 1 through April 30 every year.
5 Retain Records for 5 Years
Keep completed OSHA 300 logs, 300A summaries, and 301 incident reports for 5 years following the calendar year they cover. Current records must be provided to OSHA inspectors within 4 business hours of a request. You must also provide records to current and former employees, their representatives, and authorized employee representatives upon request.

/ Key fields explained

Field What to enter Common mistake
Column G – Death Check if the injury or illness resulted in the employee's death. Not checking Death and instead only marking Days Away — fatalities are a special OSHA reporting category and must also be reported to OSHA within 8 hours regardless of recordkeeping.
Column H – Days Away from Work Check if the physician or healthcare professional recommended days away from work. Then enter the number of calendar days away in Column K. Counting only scheduled workdays instead of calendar days — OSHA requires calendar days away, including weekends and holidays, not just scheduled shifts.
Column M – Type of Illness/Injury Check the one category that best describes the nature of the condition: injury, skin disorder, respiratory condition, poisoning, hearing loss, or all other illnesses. Checking 'Injury' for all cases including occupational illnesses like repetitive stress injuries or chemical exposure conditions — illnesses have their own categories.
Privacy Cases For sensitive injuries (sexual assault, HIV, mental illness, needle sticks, sexual harassment-related injury), write 'Privacy Case' in the name column. Maintain a separate confidential list of names for these cases. Writing the employee name even for privacy cases — this violates the employee's right to privacy and can expose the employer to OSHA violations.

/ Common mistakes to avoid

Not logging incidents within 7 calendar days of learning of the recordable injury — delayed logging is itself an OSHA violation.
Failing to post the 300A summary February 1–April 30 — this is the most commonly cited recordkeeping violation and results in an automatic citation during inspections.
Recording injuries that are not work-related — only injuries and illnesses that occurred in connection with work activities in the work environment are recordable.
Not updating the record when the outcome changes — if an employee initially had restricted duty but later was hospitalized, update the 300 log entry to reflect the actual final outcome.
Not providing records to employees on request — employees have the right to access the OSHA 300 log for their establishment without having to give a reason.

/ Frequently asked questions

Does my company have to keep OSHA 300 records?

If you had 10 or more employees at any point during the previous calendar year AND your industry is not classified as low-hazard exempt, yes. Use the OSHA exemption table at osha.gov to check your NAICS industry code.

What is 'first aid' vs. recordable medical treatment?

OSHA has a specific list of treatments that constitute first aid — if all treatment received was on that list, the incident is not recordable. Prescription medications, stitches, X-rays for diagnostic purposes (not just to rule out fractures), and physical therapy are examples of medical treatment beyond first aid.

Who must electronically submit 300A data?

Establishments with 250 or more employees must submit 300A data electronically annually. Establishments with 20-249 employees in designated high-hazard industries must also submit. Submission is through OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA).

Can employees view the OSHA 300 log?

Yes. Current employees, former employees, and their personal representatives have the right to access a copy of the OSHA 300 log for the current year and any previous 5 years. The log must be provided by the end of the next business day after a request.