Employers are expected to record significant workplace injuries and illnesses on OSHA\’s Form 300. OSHA has criteria as to what injuries and illnesses must be recorded, so employers in North Carolina and elsewhere should be familiar with these. However, even an informed employer may face the challenge of determining if a particular situation falls under the guidelines. There are gray areas to navigate, after all.
This is where XpertHR, the well-known provider of human resources tools, comes in with its Top 10 Q&As and Checklist for OSHA Compliance. Failure to comply with the guideline for record-keeping can result in serious penalties. With this checklist, however, employers can know how to evaluate every situation in light of OSHA\’s criteria.
XpertHR even gives real-life scenarios along with the way one can evaluate them. Some of these scenarios are cases of workers fainting on the job; being injured on business trips; and suffering ergonomic injuries, such as repetitive motion injuries. There are also scenarios involving seasonal workers.
OSHA requires all injuries that require medical treatment beyond standard first aid to be recorded. Other injuries that must be recorded include those that lead to time taken off work, loss of consciousness, the victim being transferred or restrictions on the work the victim continues to do.
Regardless of the severity of the on-the-job injury or illness, an employee may seek workers\’ compensation reimbursement. Unlike a personal injury claim, a victim does not need to prove that any negligence occurred. Still, they may be denied payment if they were at fault, in which case they would probably have to mount an appeal. It may be wise to leave all of this to a lawyer. A successful claim could cover a victim for some lost wages and all medical expenses.