When a worker is injured on the job, one of the first steps an employer must take is documenting the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to maintain specific logs that track work-related injuries and illnesses. These records, particularly OSHA Form 300, often play an important role in workplace safety and can also influence legal claims after an injury.
Understanding how these OSHA logs function can help employees recognize red flags, protect their rights, and build stronger workplace injury claims with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney in Los Angeles.
What Counts as a Work-Related Injury?
OSHA considers an injury to be work-related if:
- Something in the work environment caused or contributed to it
- Work activities significantly aggravated a preexisting condition
This covers injuries at the physical workplace and any other location where an employee is working as an extension of their job.
Exceptions exist, but generally, if work causes an accident, you must log it.
Which Injuries Must Be Recorded?
Employers are required to log work-related injuries or illnesses that result in:
- Death
- Loss of consciousness
- Days away from work
- Restricted duty or job transfer
- Medical treatment beyond first aid
They must also record significant diagnoses such as:
- Cancer
- Chronic irreversible diseases
- Fractured or cracked bones
- Punctured eardrums
Additionally, certain conditions must always be recorded, including:
- Needlestick injuries involving contaminated materials
- Cases requiring medical removal under OSHA standards
- Work-related tuberculosis infections
- Hearing loss that meets OSHA thresholds
These records can show whether an employer is consistently providing a safe workplace or repeatedly exposing workers to hazards.
What Is OSHA Form 300 and Why Is It Important?
OSHA’s Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300) is used to:
- Classify each workplace injury or illness
- Record details about what happened
- Track severity (lost days, restricted duty, medical treatment beyond first aid)
Any time a work-related incident occurs, your employer should document it on this log. At the end of the year, employers must fill out and display Form 300A. This form summarizes all incidents. It should be posted in a visible area so employees can see the types of injuries happening around them.
If your employer has multiple locations, they need to keep a separate log for each site. This applies to sites that have been open for more than a year.
Why this matters for injured workers:
Accurate record keeping helps establish patterns of workplace hazards. If an employer fails to log your injury, it could signal negligence or even an attempt to undermine your claim.
You Have the Right to Review Workplace Injury Records
Many workers don’t realize that OSHA gives them the legal right to review injury and illness logs. Under 29 CFR 1904.35, employers must make these records available upon request.
If you are injured and want to know if similar incidents have happened, these records are helpful. They can also show if your employer is properly documenting and addressing hazards.
How Employers Should Handle Injury Reports
Within 7 days of learning about an incident, employers must:
- Determine if the case is OSHA-recordable
- Decide whether it’s a new case or a recurrence
- Confirm it is work-related
- Complete an incident report
What This Means for Your Injury Claim
If you are injured at work, this information can significantly impact your injury claim because:
- Improper logs can indicate an unsafe workplace
- Missing or inaccurate entries can strengthen your claim
- Patterns in the log can show employer negligence
- A recorded injury can help verify your account of the incident
If your employer fails to document your injury, refuses to give you access to logs, or discourages reporting, it is recommended that you seek legal help immediately. Those behaviors can constitute retaliation or concealment.
Contact a Los Angeles Injury Attorney Today
Our knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles, CA, are here to walk you through the legal process following a workplace injury.
The statute of limitations typically requires you to file a personal injury claim within two years of the date of the injury. This means that if you are injured, it is important to reach out to our Los Angeles personal injury law firm ASAP to get the most out of your claim.
With over 25 years of experience, John J. Perlstein is one of the best personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles, CA, securing fair and just outcomes in personal injury and wrongful death cases. This includes catastrophic injuries, car accidents, and more. He will work tirelessly with insurance companies and other parties to ensure maximum compensation for victims and their families.
To set up a free consultation with a top Los Angeles injury attorney regarding your work-related personal injury claim, fill out our form online or give us a call at (213) 583-5786.