OSHA Recordkeeping, Inspections & Enforcement: An Employer's Guide
Injury logs, electronic submission, severe-event reporting, and how to be ready for an OSHA inspection.
- Logs
- OSHA 300, 300A, 301
- E-file deadline
- March 2
- Severe-event report
- Fatality 8 hrs / hospitalization 24 hrs
OSHA enforces workplace safety through inspections, citations, and penalties, prioritizing high-hazard industries through National Emphasis Programs. Knowing your recordkeeping and reporting duties is the cheapest way to reduce citation risk.
Most employers must record work-related injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 log and post the 300A summary each year. Establishments at or above size thresholds must also submit injury data electronically through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA).
Severe events carry hard deadlines: report a work-related fatality within 8 hours and an amputation, in-patient hospitalization, or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
OSHA compliance checklist
- Keep the OSHA 300 log — Record each recordable injury or illness within seven calendar days.
- Post the 300A summary — Display the annual summary from February 1 through April 30.
- Submit electronically (ITA) — Covered establishments e-file required forms by March 2 each year.
- Report severe events on time — Fatalities within 8 hours; hospitalizations, amputations, and eye loss within 24 hours.
- Prepare for inspections — Know your rights, keep records accessible, and abate hazards promptly.
A starting point, not legal advice — verify against the primary sources cited below and current rules for your jurisdiction.
Latest OSHA coverage
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- OSHA Injury Tracking Application Deadline: What Employers Should Do If They Missed It
Frequently Asked Questions
Establishments with 100 or more employees in designated high-hazard industries listed in Appendix B to Subpart E of 29 CFR Part 1904 must electronically submit Forms 300, 301, and 300A through OSHA's Injury Tracking Application. This expanded requirement took effect January 1, 2024, under OSHA's final rule to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses.
The annual electronic submission deadline is March 2 of each year, covering data from the previous calendar year. The submission window opens January 2. Late submissions are still accepted and strongly encouraged, as OSHA's Non-Responder Enforcement Program targets establishments that fail to submit.
OSHA uses the submitted data to fuel its Site-Specific Targeting (SST) inspection program. Establishments with high DART rates, upward-trending injury rates, suspiciously low rates, or missing submissions are prioritized for comprehensive workplace inspections.
Failure to submit required electronic data can result in citations with penalties exceeding $16,500 per violation for serious offenses. Willful or repeat violations can reach over $156,000 per violation. Non-submission also increases the likelihood of being selected for an OSHA inspection.
HR teams should implement a year-round recordkeeping workflow that includes prompt incident logging, monthly data audits, cross-department coordination with safety and legal teams, and a pre-submission quality review in January. Automating retention schedules and using centralized compliance platforms can reduce errors and missed deadlines.
Employees have only 30 days from the date of the alleged retaliatory action to file a complaint with OSHA under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. This is one of the shortest filing windows in employment law, which is why adverse actions taken shortly after a safety complaint are so risky for employers.
OSHA can order employers to reinstate terminated employees, pay back wages with interest, and pay compensatory and punitive damages. Recent cases in 2026 have resulted in orders exceeding $200,000 and $315,000 respectively, plus attorney's fees. There is no cap on total damages in OSHA whistleblower cases.
Retaliation includes any adverse action taken against an employee for engaging in protected activity such as reporting a safety concern. This includes termination, demotion, reduction in pay or hours, transfer to a less desirable position, exclusion from meetings or opportunities, and any other action that would dissuade a reasonable employee from raising a safety concern.