Dashpivot article page – Who is exempt from filing OSHA 300 logs
Who is exempt from filing OSHA 300 logs?
What is OSHA log 300?
The OSHA form 300, often referred to as the OSHA log 300 or simply OSHA 300, is the "Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses."
It's a form used by employers covered by OSHA to record detailed information about work-related injuries and illnesses that meet specific recording criteria. Here's a deeper dive into the OSHA 300 Log:
- Purpose: The OSHA 300 Log is intended to help employers recognize workplace hazards and correct dangerous conditions by keeping track of work-related injuries and illnesses.
- Contents:
- For each qualifying incident, the log records details such as the date of the injury or illness, the name of the affected employee (except for privacy concern cases), the type of injury or illness, the location on the body affected, the outcome (e.g., days away from work), and the job title.
- It also classifies the severity of each incident by noting whether it resulted in fatalities, days away from work, job transfer or restriction, etc.
- Criteria for Recording: Not every workplace injury or illness needs to be recorded on the OSHA 300 Log. The event must be a work-related injury or illness that meets OSHA's recording criteria, such as medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, days away from work, or restricted work activity.
Learn more about your OSHA 300 log and 300a requirements.
Read on for more about your OSHA 300 filing obligations.
Who is exempt from filing OSHA log 300?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has certain exemptions when it comes to maintaining the OSHA 300 log. Here are the primary exemptions:
- Small Employer Exemption:
- Employers with ten or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records. This exemption is irrespective of their industry classification.
- Low-Hazard Industry Exemption:
- OSHA has identified certain industries that are considered to be of relatively low occupational injury and illness rates. Establishments in these industries are exempt from maintaining the OSHA 300 logs, even if they have more than ten employees.
- The list of exempt industries is based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and is updated periodically based on injury and illness data. Some examples include establishments in certain retail sectors, service industries, finance, and insurance sectors.
- Partial Exemption:
- Even if an employer is exempt due to company size or industry type, they are not exempt from OSHA recordkeeping if they are asked by OSHA to participate in a government survey or are informed by OSHA in writing that they must maintain the records.
- Additionally, all employers, regardless of exemption status, must report to OSHA any workplace incident that results in a fatality, an amputation, a loss of an eye, or the hospitalization of an employee.
It's important to note a few things:
- The exemptions only pertain to routine recordkeeping. All employers must still provide a safe and healthful workplace under the OSH Act's General Duty Clause.
- Exemption from the OSHA 300 log doesn't mean that employers are exempt from other OSHA standards and requirements. Read more below for OSHA 300a and 301 exemptions.
- The specifics of exemptions, especially related to industry classification, can change based on updated data or regulatory decisions.
What industries does OSHA consider high-risk for log 300?
Some industries that are considered high-risk by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes:
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
- Utilities
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale trade
- Retail trade (only for certain types like building material and supplies dealers, lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores)
- Transportation and warehousing
- Waste management and remediation services
- Health care and social assistance (includes nursing and residential care facilities)
- Accommodation and food services (only for RV parks and recreational camps and rooming and boarding houses)
- Other services (except public administration) (this includes personal and laundry services, religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations)
- Public administration (only for justice, public order, and safety activities)
This list is not exhaustive, and OSHA provides specific NAICS codes to precisely identify the high-risk industries within these broader categories.
Be mindful that regulations and designations can change, and OSHA might update the list based on new data or changing priorities.
Are there different exemptions for OSHA 300, 300a and 301?
Form 301 Exemption:
Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in certain industries (not mentioned previously as high-risk) are not required to complete form 301 for recordable injuries and illnesses. However, they still must report work-related fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and eye losses to OSHA. They must also keep records if requested in writing by OSHA.
Form 300A:
While employers exempt from routinely maintaining OSHA 300 logs are also exempt from posting the annual 300a summary, if there's a specific request from OSHA, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), or a state agency operating under the authority of OSHA or BLS, they must respond.
Use a digital OSHA 300a summary template
Make it easy for your team to stay OSHA compliant with this free OSHA 300 log and 300a summary template.
The digital template has all the fields that are required by OSHA, and is simple for your team to fill out.
You can record, access or update your OSHA 300 log via mobile or tablet in the field, as soon as an incident occurs so the information is still fresh and easy to record.
Digital signoff makes compliance a breeze for a bulletproof audit for OSHA, with manual esignatures or fully contactless signoff.
Streamline OSHA compliance with automated workflows
OSHA requirements are very process-driven, and not just a document you fill out once and forget about.
An OSHA log 300 and 300a form app can help maintain your records digitally and update them easily if an incident occurs.
Automated workflows can trigger a notification to update your OSHA 300 log once an OSHA 301 incident report form is submitted.
Reference your digital OSHA 300 log to quickly and easily create your OSHA 300a summary at the end of the year, for streamlined submission so you don't miss any critical records.
Share your OSHA 300a summary in a single click as a perfectly formatted PDF or CSV, with brand colours and logo, so when you need to post your summary at your workplace every year it looks professional and compliant.
OSHA Incident Report Form 301 template
Properly document your injury and illnesses on site with this OSHA Injury and Illness Incident Report form 301 template.
Hazard Incident Report form
Make reporting hazard incidents easy and keep your people and sites safer.
OSHA form 300 & 300a template
Maintain your log of injuries and illnesses and your 300a summary with this free template.
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