February is certainly not one of those memorable months on the calendar. Sure, we have the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day and a faint hope for Spring, but that’s about it. But if you own a business, there is an important item to add to your to-do list.
Business owners who haven’t posted their OSHA 300A form by February 1 may be in line for a fine. Up to $1,000 to be exact. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires most employers to post this form each year. (See OSHA Partially Exempt Industries for more information.) In 1971, OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics collaborated to operate an injury and illness record keeping system. For more specific details on this requirement, see OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements.
In 2002, the rule was revised somewhat. An edit to the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, which by virtue of adding a column in 2004 to include injuries that resulted in hearing loss, begat the new and improved OSHA 300A form. (The OSHA 300 form is now used for record-keeping only.) The above referenced link is a good place to start for any business owner who might want to learn more about what is required. Businesses must post this form where its workers can see it. Also, it is important to know that the form should be posted even if no work-related event happened in the last year. But is that a bad thing? When you think about it, what parent would not be proud to post their child’s perfect report card on the refrigerator?
If you are a Genesis client, you know about this since we have already prepared and delivered your OSHA forms. The trick here is to remember to keep it posted until April 30 and save the OSHA 300 from for five years. The good news is that by the end of April, the promise of the coming Spring will not be a hope anymore. It will be a reality.
