OSHA requires every employer covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act to report specific severe workplace incidents within strict time limits. A work-related fatality must be reported within 8 hours. A work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours. These deadlines begin when the employer learns of the event - not when the event occurred - and missing them can result in citations with penalties up to $16,131 per violation. In cases of willful failure to report, penalties can reach $161,323.

These reporting requirements exist under 29 CFR 1904.39 and apply to virtually every private sector employer in the United States, regardless of size or industry. Even employers who are partially exempt from OSHA recordkeeping (those with 10 or fewer employees or those in certain low-hazard industries) are still required to report severe incidents. There are no exemptions from the reporting obligation.

The Four Reportable Events

1. Work-Related Fatality - Report Within 8 Hours

If an employee dies as a result of a work-related incident, the employer must report the fatality to OSHA within 8 hours of learning about it. This applies to deaths that occur within 30 days of the work-related incident. If an employee is injured at work and dies 45 days later from those injuries, the death is not reportable under this rule (though the initial hospitalization would have been).

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The 8-hour clock starts when the employer (any agent of the employer - a supervisor, a manager, an HR representative) first learns of the death. If a fatality occurs at 2:00 AM and the supervisor is notified at 6:00 AM, the reporting deadline is 2:00 PM.

2. In-Patient Hospitalization - Report Within 24 Hours

If an employee is admitted to a hospital as an in-patient as a result of a work-related incident, report within 24 hours. The key word is "in-patient." A worker who goes to the emergency room, is treated and released the same day is not an in-patient hospitalization for reporting purposes. A worker who is admitted for observation or treatment overnight (or longer) is.

This applies to hospitalizations that occur within 24 hours of the work-related incident. If the worker goes home from the ER and is later admitted to the hospital more than 24 hours after the incident, the hospitalization is not reportable under this rule (though it may still be OSHA-recordable on the 300 log).

3. Amputation - Report Within 24 Hours

Any work-related amputation must be reported within 24 hours. OSHA defines amputation broadly: it includes traumatic amputations (a finger severed by a machine), surgical amputations resulting from a work-related injury and any loss of a body part, including fingertip amputations with or without bone loss. The loss of the tip of a finger is reportable. This is a frequently misunderstood point - many employers assume only major limb amputations trigger the reporting requirement.

4. Loss of an Eye - Report Within 24 Hours

Any work-related loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours. This means the actual loss of the eye, not just an eye injury. A chemical splash that causes temporary vision impairment is not a reportable eye loss (though it may be recordable). The surgical removal of an eye or the functional loss of an eye resulting from a workplace incident triggers the reporting requirement.

How to Report to OSHA

Employers have three options for reporting severe incidents:

When you call or file online, be prepared to provide:

Document the date and time you made the report, the method used and the name of the OSHA representative who received it. This documentation protects you if there is a later dispute about timeliness.

State Plan Reporting Requirements

If you operate in a state with an OSHA-approved State Plan, check whether that state has additional or different reporting requirements. Most State Plan states follow the federal reporting rules, but some have variations. For example, some states require reporting of all hospitalizations regardless of the 24-hour incident-to-hospitalization window. California requires reporting serious injuries and illnesses within 8 hours - a shorter deadline than the federal 24-hour rule for hospitalizations.

State Plan states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming, among others. Check with your state's occupational safety agency for specific requirements.

What Happens After You Report

Filing a report does not automatically trigger an on-site inspection, but it may. OSHA triages reports based on severity and circumstances. A fatality will almost always result in an inspection. Hospitalizations, amputations and eye losses are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. OSHA may conduct a phone or fax investigation (a "rapid response investigation") instead of an on-site visit for less severe events.

Regardless of whether OSHA inspects, you should conduct your own internal investigation immediately. Identify root causes, implement corrective actions and document everything. This demonstrates good faith and positions your company favorably if OSHA does investigate.

For guidance on internal incident tracking and response, explore our incident reporting feature.

Common Reporting Mistakes

Missing the deadline. The most straightforward violation. Supervisors must know the reporting triggers and deadlines. If a worker is hospitalized on a Friday night, the 24-hour clock does not pause for the weekend. Establish a clear chain of communication so that the person responsible for OSHA reporting is notified immediately, day or night.

Not recognizing a reportable event. The most common knowledge gap is fingertip amputations. Many employers do not realize that losing the tip of a finger - even without bone loss - is a reportable amputation. Train supervisors on all four reportable event types with specific examples.

Waiting for complete information. You do not need to have a full investigation report before calling OSHA. Report what you know within the deadline and provide additional details later. Waiting for the hospital to confirm the diagnosis or waiting for the investigation to conclude is not a valid reason for missing the deadline.

Reporting to the wrong agency. In State Plan states, report to the state agency, not federal OSHA (though calling the federal hotline will typically result in a referral to the state). Know which agency has jurisdiction over your workplace before an incident occurs.

Failing to report because of exemption confusion. Small employers (10 or fewer employees) and employers in certain low-hazard NAICS codes are exempt from routine OSHA recordkeeping (maintaining a 300 log). They are not exempt from severe incident reporting. This is a critical distinction that trips up many small businesses.

Not documenting the report. After you file, record the date, time, method (phone or online), the reference number if provided and the OSHA representative's name. If OSHA later claims the report was late or never received, your documentation is your defense.

OSHA Reporting vs. OSHA Recordkeeping

These are related but distinct obligations:

Reporting (29 CFR 1904.39) is the obligation to notify OSHA of specific severe events (fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, eye losses) within the time limits described above. It is an active notification - you must contact OSHA.

Recordkeeping (29 CFR 1904) is the obligation to maintain records of all work-related injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 Log, 300A Summary and 301 Incident Report forms. Recordkeeping is a passive documentation requirement - you maintain the records at your establishment and make them available upon request.

A single incident can trigger both obligations. For example, a worker who loses a fingertip requires a 24-hour report to OSHA and an entry on your 300 log. For detailed guidance on maintaining your injury and illness logs, see our guide on OSHA recordkeeping and the 300 log.

Building a Reporting-Ready Organization

The time to figure out your OSHA reporting process is not the night a worker is rushed to the hospital. Build the system in advance:

Create a Reporting Flowchart

Document who does what when a severe incident occurs. The flowchart should start with the first responder on scene and end with the confirmed OSHA report. Include names, phone numbers and backup contacts for each step.

Train Supervisors and Managers

Every supervisor should know the four reportable events and the two deadlines (8 hours for fatalities, 24 hours for everything else). Conduct this training during onboarding and refresh it annually. Use scenario-based exercises: "A worker's fingertip is amputated at 4:00 PM on Friday. Walk me through the reporting process."

Post Emergency Contact Information

OSHA's hotline number (1-800-321-OSHA), your state agency's number and your company's internal reporting chain should be posted in every break room, job trailer and supervisor's office.

Use a Digital Incident Reporting System

A digital platform can guide supervisors through the reporting decision: "Was the worker hospitalized as an in-patient? Yes/No." Based on the answers, the system identifies whether the event is reportable, calculates the deadline and alerts the responsible person. It can also store the details of the report for your records.

OSHA Reporting Quick Reference

Be Ready Before the Incident Happens

When a serious injury occurs, the last thing you want is confusion about what to report, when to report it and how. Make Safety Easy's incident reporting tools walk your team through the process step by step - from initial documentation to OSHA notification to root-cause investigation. Everything is stored, timestamped and audit-ready. Schedule a demo to see how it works, or explore pricing to find the right plan for your organization.