OSHA 300 log requirements for construction companies

Keeping OSHA records is required for construction firms over a specific size threshold. Contractors need to log recordable injuries and illnesses to comply with inspection and insurance audits. More than that, though, accurate logs highlight where and how crews are hurt most often. With that information in hand, leaders can address hazards before they cause more injuries.

This guide explains how OSHA 300 log requirements work. Read on to learn which types of incidents are recordable, how to comply with posting and reporting rules, and how the right software helps contractors manage OSHA compliance.

What is an OSHA 300 log?

An OSHA 300 log is an ongoing record employers use to document work-related injuries and illnesses that OSHA classifies as recordable. These paper trails note key details about the type of injury or illness, affected body parts, and consequences for the employee’s work life.

There are several types of OSHA 300 forms. Together, they form a complete recordkeeping system. Here’s a breakdown of how they work:

• OSHA Form 300: The Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses is the master record. Contractors note OSHA-recordable incidents that happened under their watch in a calendar year. It documents just the essential details, such as the date of the incident, what happened, and who it happened to.
• OSHA Form 301: Also called Injury and Illness Incident Reports, contractors use these forms to document the full details of each OSHA-recordable injury or illness. Reports cover how the incident occurred, any treatment the affected parties received, and the context surrounding the event.
• OSHA Form 300A: Form 300A is an annual report of all work-related injuries and illnesses that occurred over the year. Employers must certify the accuracy of this summary and post it publicly in the workplace.

OSHA recordable vs. reportable: What’s the difference?

OSHA recordkeeping involves two separate obligations, and mixing them up is one of the most common compliance mistakes contractors make. Here’s the difference between the two:

• Recording means documenting an incident in the company files. A recordable injury or illness gets a line on the OSHA 300 log and its own Form 301. Despite the name, the Injury and Illness Incident Report is internal. Completing a 301 doesn’t notify OSHA of anything.
• Reporting means notifying OSHA of an incident directly, by phone or through its online system. It’s reserved for the most severe outcomes: fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and eye loss. The deadlines and reporting channels are covered later in this guide.

The rule of thumb: Every reportable event is also recordable, but most recordable incidents stay in company records and never get called in.

What triggers an OSHA 300 log entry?

OSHA lays out general recording criteria in 29 CFR §1904, and employers generally must record any workplace injury or illness that meets them.

Employers with 10 or fewer employees, including contractors, are an exception. They don’t have to keep OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 Forms unless specifically instructed by OSHA or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But they must still report severe incidents, such as deaths and hospitalizations.

OSHA exempts a handful of low-hazard industries, such as retail and insurance, from maintaining these forms (but not from reporting severe incidents). This is called a partial industry exemption. Construction isn’t on the partially exempt industry list, so any contractor above the size threshold must maintain all three forms.

Even if a non-exempt employer has no recordable incidents during the calendar year, they’re still required to complete and publicly post Form 300A to certify and document their annual injury and illness totals.

Here’s a look at some of the most common incidents and outcomes that trigger OSHA recordkeeping requirements.

Death

Employers must record work-related fatalities in the OSHA 300 log, as well as report the incident to OSHA within eight hours.

Loss of consciousness

If an incident results in an employee losing consciousness, the employer must record it, even if the employee ends up returning to work. Direct reporting to OSHA isn’t required.

Days away from work (DAFW)

If a work-related injury or illness keeps an employee from coming back to work, the employer must record the incident and the number of missed workdays. They don’t have to report it to OSHA directly.

Restricted work or job transfer

When an incident leads to a restriction of duties or reassignment to a different role, employers must record it in their OSHA logs. But they don’t have to report this information.

Medical treatment beyond first aid

If an incident requires medical treatment, compliance depends on the type of treatment required. If OSHA classifies the treatment as first aid, the incident is neither recordable nor reportable. First aid includes:

• Bandages and butterfly closures
• Non-prescription medication at non-prescription dosage
• Hot/cold packs
• Tetanus shots
• Fluids for heat stress
• Finger guards
• Eye flushing
• Splinter removal with tweezers or irrigation 

Anything not on OSHA’s first-aid list, such as stitches, prescription medication use, and physical therapy, is recordable but generally not reportable.

Significant diagnosed injuries and illnesses

Any serious injury or illness diagnosed by a licensed healthcare professional is recordable, even if it doesn’t result in an outcome that requires reporting, such as death or missed workdays. This includes:

• Cancer
• Chronic irreversible diseases
• Fractured or cracked bones
• Punctured eardrums

What are the posting requirements for OSHA logs?

Contractors don’t have to post the entire OSHA 300 log, but they must post the 300A summary to maintain full compliance. Here are the core obligations.

• Certifying OSHA 300A: A company executive must certify each OSHA 300A summary for completeness and accuracy before posting.
• Posting the OSHA 300A summary: Employers must complete and post OSHA 300A in a visible location in the workplace from February 1 through April 30 of the following year, even if there were no recordable incidents.
• Submitting electronically: Employers in high-hazard industries like construction face stricter electronic submission requirements. All contractors with 20–249 employees must submit Form 300A annually. Employers with 100 employees or more must submit all three forms: 300, 300A, and 301. Forms must be in by March 2 of the following year. Contractors managing more than one jobsite may have to submit multiple sets of forms because OSHA treats each long-term jobsite as a separate establishment.
• Protecting employee privacy: Contractors are responsible for protecting affected employees’ sensitive information. As such, they’re required to post the 300A rather than the detailed Form 300 for each incident. Even on Form 300, if an employee requests it or the injury or illness is sensitive in nature, employers must omit the employee’s name and write in “Privacy Case” instead. They must keep a separate confidential list connecting case numbers to employee names.

What are OSHA’s reporting requirements?

Reporting an incident to OSHA directly (versus simply recording it) is only required under specific circumstances.

• Deaths and severe injuries: Employers must report fatalities within eight hours of learning of the event. They must report serious injuries and illnesses within 24 hours.
• Reporting timeframes: Fatalities are only reportable if they happen within 30 days of the incident that caused them. Hospitalizations, amputations, or eye loss are reportable if they occur within 24 hours.
• Reporting channels: Employers can submit reports through OSHA’s hotline, local OSHA offices, or OSHA’s online reporting system.
• Reporting doesn’t replace recording: While not all recordable incidents are reportable, employers must still maintain written records of reportable events.

How software streamlines OSHA recordkeeping for contractors 

Incidents don’t happen when and where they’re most convenient, particularly in construction. They happen in the field and across jobsites, under different supervisors and during different projects. Because of this unpredictability, paper form-filling and disconnected systems aren’t enough for contractors who want to get everything right, especially if an inspection or an insurance audit comes up.

Modern construction workforce software like Miter replaces disorganized spreadsheets and cluttered filing cabinets with a single platform. Field crews can report an incident from the app the moment it occurs, complete with photos, witness statements, and voice-to-text. Each injury record captures the details the OSHA 300 log asks for, including treatment received and whether the employee missed days, worked restricted, or transferred roles. So the records feeding your log stay consistent across crews and supervisors. Incident reports download as PDFs for easy handoff to GCs or OSHA, and OSHA-standard rates like TRIR and DART are calculated automatically from incident and timesheet data.

Miter Safety brings OSHA recordkeeping into the same system contractors already use for payroll, HR, and time tracking. Compliant recordkeeping becomes just another part of how well-oiled field operations work.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly must injuries and illnesses be entered on the OSHA 300 log?

Employers must enter OSHA-recordable injuries and illnesses in their OSHA 300 logs within seven days. The timer begins when the employer learns of the incident, not when the incident takes place. This is important to track in construction, where field crews may report an incident days late, an injury treated as first aid on-site can become recordable when a doctor prescribes medication or physical therapy, or the contractor only learns about an incident when the workers’ comp claim comes in.

How long must OSHA 300 log records be kept?

Employers must maintain Forms 300, 300A, and 301 for five years after the end of the calendar year the records cover. If classifications or details change during the retention period, employers must update them accordingly.

Do employees have the right to access the OSHA 300 log?

Three groups have a legal right to access OSHA 300 logs: employees, former employees, and authorized representatives. Employers must provide the logs by the end of the business day following the request. They also need to maintain privacy for cases where OSHA requires names to be omitted.