What Is An OSHA Recordable Injury? The Basics (2026)

What Counts as a Recordable Injury?

The administration requires that an employer record an injury that results in any of the following:

• Death
• Days away from work
• Loss of consciousness
• Job transfer or restricted work
• Significant diagnosis
• Medical care beyond first aid

Injuries that don’t require more than a bandage or a bit of antiseptic medication don’t typically need to be recorded.

OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements

Employers must maintain records if an employee dies, needs inpatient hospitalization or suffers any wound that requires medical care. That’s also the case after an amputation injury or the loss of an eye. Employers must do this even in exempt industries.

Criteria That Make It Recordable

So when it comes to specific criteria, what is an OSHA recordable injury? The injury must be work-related and cause either a death, hospitalization or days away from work. If the injury leads to loss of consciousness, a job transfer or medical care beyond first aid, it is also usually recordable.

Injuries that involve hearing loss, sharp objects contaminated by bodily fluids or a tuberculosis diagnosis should be recorded as well.

Injuries That Do Not Qualify

Injuries that are not work-related or that don’t require medical care beyond first aid don’t normally need to be recorded. Some examples would be injuries that only need flushing with water, can be managed with a bandage or can be fixed with hot and cold therapy.

Injuries that require diagnostics like MRIs and other imaging studies do not immediately become recordable, though. The same is the case if a worker is taken to a physician for observation.

Recordable vs. Reportable Incidents

Recordable incidents are those that involve injuries that require medical care in a business that has at least 11 employees. Reportable incidents are immediately recordable because they involve severe injuries, such as amputations, loss of an eye and fatalities.

Tips for Staying Compliant

Remaining compliant with OSHA’s requirements requires staying up-to-date with all of your paperwork. Employers must maintain thorough logs to submit to OSHA every year. These logs provide an accurate idea of the incidents that took place in the workplace.

It’s helpful to also conduct audits to ensure that nothing has fallen through the cracks. Employers can benefit from assigning a specific person to manage the logs.

Protecting Your Business With the Right Forms

After an incident at work, it is important to know what forms you need to fill out to remain compliant with federal requirements. At ConsumerShield, we can assist you in protecting your business. Explore our collection of forms and guides today.