708 OSHA Recordkeeping Basics

Employee Involvement

Your employees and their representatives must be involved in the recordkeeping system in several ways. The employer must:

• inform each employee of how he or she is to report a work-related injury or illness;
• provide employees with information regarding work-related injuries and illnesses;
• provide access to your injury and illness records for your employees and their representatives.

What must I do to make sure employees report work-related injuries and illnesses?

• establish a reasonable procedure for employees to report work-related injuries and illnesses promptly and accurately;
• inform each employee of your procedure for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses;
• inform each employee that:
• employees have the right to report work-related injuries and illnesses; and
• employers are prohibited from discharging or in any manner discriminating against employees for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses.

Do I have to give my employees access to injury and illness records?

• Yes, employees, former employees, their personal representatives, and their authorized employee representatives have the right to access the OSHA injury and illness records, with some limitations, as discussed in the next section.

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