On The Dotted Line (new OSHA reporting forms)

New OSHA injury reporting forms require the signature of company executives – a first-time requirement by the agency. In the past, certification was required by the employer or the person who completed the log, but now the recordkeeping rule is more explicit, details the end-of-year process employers must follow, and defines which company officials must certify the log. The intent of requiring certification at a higher level was to make sure management is aware of the company’s injury and illness record.

Regulations affecting how nearly 1.3 million work sites record their employees’ injuries and illnesses were changed in 2001, the new requirements went into effect on January 1, 2002, and employers are now going through their first certification cycle of the logs. According to OSHAdirective CPL 2-0.131 in the “Recordkeeping Policies and Procedures Manual,” the OSHAlog must be signed by an owner, an officer of the corporation, the highest ranking company official working at the establishment, or the immediate supervisor of the highest ranking company official working at the establishment. Improper completion of the new OSHA300 form carries penalties of up to $1,000.