OR-OSHA Reminds Employers of Reporting Requirement
Fatalities must be reported within eight hours and overnight hospitalizations within 24 hours.
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) posted a release reminding employers they must report serious accidents or fatalities promptly. The agency's rule, OAR 437-001-0700(21), requires employers to report a fatality within eight hours and report the overnight hospitalization of a worker within 24 hours.
The citation carries a minimum $250 penalty and can go up to $7,000. "Employers are required by law to report serious incidents so we can identify risks that may endanger other workers," said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. "Our goal is to ensure workers go home safely every day."
Last year, OR-OSHA cited 36 companies for failing to report violations. "That's down from the 66 citations issued in 2009 but reporting remains a concern," its release states. Accidents in 2012 that Oregon OSHA investigated but were not reported included a severe electrical burn, a fall from a roof, and amputated fingers from contact with a table saw.
The agency said reporting an accident to a workers' compensation carrier is not adequate and may still result in a failure to report citation. Reports can be called in 24 hours a day at 1-800-922-2689; leaving a message to make the report is sufficient under the rule.