OSHA Requirements

Report serious injuries and fatalities

Guidelines vary by state

OSHA reporting requirements vary by state. Many states follow the federal OSHA guidelines that are detailed on this page, but some states have their own reporting guidelines.

To get your state’s OSHA requirements, use the state selector above.

Federal OSHA reporting guidelines

Employers in states that follow the federal OSHA guidelines are required to notify OSHA when an employee suffers a work-related death, hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. A fatality must be reported within 8 hours. An in-patient hospitalization, amputation or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.

If an injured employee is based in a state that follows the federal OSHA guidelines, you can report the incident to OSHA by calling 800.321.6742, or you can file a report online.

Avoid penalties

The minimum citation for failing to report an injury to OSHA under this requirement varies by state, and could be $5,000 or more. Emergency medical technicians and other medical personnel are required to report incidents that fall under this requirement. If you don’t report the incident and they do, you can be cited.

Be prepared

Have a procedure in place to handle emergencies and OSHA visits.
Designate a manager to answer OSHA questions and to accompany the inspector.
Have a copy of your safety programs and training records organized and readily available.