OSHA Withdraws Proposal to Add MSD Column to Workplace Injury Log
Citing limited benefit and existing recordkeeping requirements, OSHA ends its rulemaking effort to add a musculoskeletal disorders column to the OSHA 300 Log.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jul 07, 2025
OSHA has officially withdrawn its proposal to amend the OSHA 300 Log by adding a separate column for recording work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The withdrawal, effective July 1, 2025, formally terminates the rulemaking process initiated under Docket No. OSHA-2009-0044.
According to the agency, the proposed addition of an MSD column was deemed unnecessary for improving national injury and illness statistics or for supporting enforcement and outreach. OSHA determined that employers are already required to record work-related MSDs under existing rules, and that creating a dedicated column would not meaningfully enhance the quality or utility of the data.
The decision maintains the current recordkeeping framework, under which employers must continue to document all occupational injuries and illnesses that meet existing criteria — including musculoskeletal disorders — without the need for a separate reporting category.
This rulemaking withdrawal was officially published in the Federal Register on July 1, 2025. OSHA clarified that while it remains committed to accurate injury tracking and prevention, regulatory changes must yield demonstrable benefits to justify implementation.
For more details, the official notice is available here:
🔗 Federal Register: Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements; Withdrawal
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco brings a strong and varied journalism background to her role at Occupational Health & Safety, having previously served as a multimedia editor, broadcast journalist, professor and reviewer across major news organizations. As Content Editor, she writes news and feature articles, hosts sponsor and editorial webinars, co-hosts the SafetyPod worker health and safety podcast, and manages the brand’s digital and social media presence. She is committed to informing and engaging the safety community through compelling reporting and conversations that support safer, healthier workplaces.