THE COHEN GROUP
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The Cohen Group Newsletter - Volume 18  Issue 1, Article 1.  January 2007

Don’t Forget To Post Your Cal/OSHA Log!

By Tim Bormann, CIH

Here we go…another year. February, begins the time to post the Summary of Work Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300A). This article is a summary of the 2006 workplace injury and illness data compiled from the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300) and steps you need to take to comply with Cal/OSHA requirements.

First, the Summary must be posted in a conspicuous place (i.e., where notices are customarily posted for employees) from February 1 through April 30. The Summary must be completed and posted even if no work related injuries or illnesses occurred in 2006. The summary must also be certified by a company executive. If you have more than one establishment, you must keep a separate Log and Summary for each physical location that is expected to be in operation for one year or longer.

The Summary (Form 300A) requires the following information (obtained from Form 300):

· Total number of occupational injury (non first-aid) and illness cases for each of the following 6 categories:

1. Injuries
2. Skin disorders
3. Respiratory conditions
4. Poisonings
5. Hearing loss
6. All other illnesses

· Cumulative number of occupational injury/illness cases involving each of the following 4 categories:

1. Deaths
2. Days away from work (number of cases which involved missed days from work)
3. Job transfer or restriction
4. Other recordable cases

· Cumulative total number of days (from all injuries or illnesses):

1. Away from work
2. Job transfer or restriction

You must also enter the SIC (Standard Industry Classification) number or NAIC number (National American Industrial Classification), if known and average number of employees and total hours worked for all employees during the past year. As stated above, the form must be signed by a company executive, who certifies its accuracy.

You do not need to send the completed forms to Cal/OSHA (unless specifically requested) or your workers compensation insurance carrier. However, failure to post a copy of Form 300A can result in a Cal/OSHA citation. Cal/OSHA injury and illness records do not need to be kept if your company had 10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year. The log is also not required for employers in the retail, service, finance, insurance, and real estate sectors (classified as low hazards). You must keep copies of the Log (300) and Summary (300A) for 5 years following the year to which they pertain.

The forms can be accessed through the Department of Industrial Relations website at www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/puborder.asp. Also on the website is a worksheet for calculating the average number of employees who worked for your establishment and total number of hours worked. If you have any questions about how and what to record, what industries are exempt, or any other Cal/OSHA posting requirement, you can also call or email The Cohen Group.