Question

This is my first time filling out the OSHA 300A form. Is there anything special to be aware of?

Answer

Completing the OSHA 300A form should be straightforward if you’ve maintained your OSHA 300 form throughout the year. Exceptions may apply based on your company’s size and industry. These are outlined below.

Since it is January, employers subject to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) must complete the mandatory OSHA 300A form. Generally, that means employers of 10 or more employees. Employers should be ready to post their completed OSHA Form 300A for 2024 no later than February 1, 2025.

The OSHA 300A form summarizes the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses (excluding those only requiring first aid) the company logged on its OSHA Form 300 the preceding year. It also includes the number of workers and their work hours during the year. The OSHA forms 300 and 300A, and straightforward instructions on completing the forms, are available from the OSHA website.

The summary must include the number of job-related injuries and illnesses in 2024 logged on OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. If a company recorded no injuries or illnesses in the preceding year, the employer must enter “zero” on the total line. The 300A summary form must be signed and certified by a company executive and then posted in a visible location in the workplace between February 1 and April 30, 2025.

Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in specific low-hazard industries are generally exempt from federal OSHA injury-and-illness recordkeeping and posting requirements. More information on which employers are exempt is available here.

Reportable injuries

All employers covered by OSHA must comply with safety and health standards. Accidents that result in one or more fatalities or the hospitalization of three or more employees must be reported orally within eight hours to the nearest OSHA office, no matter the employer’s size.

Generally, only serious injuries that result from workplace activity should be included on Form 300. A serious injury is one that results in a fatality, loss of consciousness, days away from work, a restricted work schedule or job transfer, or a significant injury or illness diagnosis by a health-care provider, or that requires medical treatment beyond basic first aid.

If the injury involved is of a sensitive nature, such as sexual assault, employers should write “privacy case” in the box for the worker’s name.

Companies are required to update and maintain records for five years plus the current year and provide them to OSHA investigators for inspection.

All employers, including those partially exempted by reason of company size or industry classification, must report to OSHA any workplace incident that results in a fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. Information on how to report one of these injuries is available. Massachusetts has three OSHA offices.

Need more help?

If you have any questions about this or other HR-related issues, AIM members can contact the AIM Helpline at 1-800-470-6277 or email us at helpline@aimnet.org for expert guidance and support.