CHST Incident Investigation and Reporting 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA 29 CFR 1904.7, which of the following criteria makes an injury or illness recordable on the OSHA 300 Log?
- Days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, loss of consciousness, medical treatment beyond first aid, or diagnosis of a significant injury or illness by a healthcare professional (Correct answer)
- Any injury requiring a visit to the company nurse
- Only injuries resulting in hospitalization
- Only injuries that cause missed work time
Correct answer: Days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, loss of consciousness, medical treatment beyond first aid, or diagnosis of a significant injury or illness by a healthcare professional
OSHA 1904.7 defines recordable injuries as work-related cases that result in days away from work, restricted work/job transfer, loss of consciousness, medical treatment beyond first aid, or a significant diagnosis by a healthcare professional.
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1904.7(a), a work-related injury or illness must be recorded if it results in any of the following: days away from work; restricted work or job transfer; loss of consciousness; medical treatment beyond first aid; a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a healthcare professional (e.g., cancer, fracture, punctured eardrum). First aid treatments — such as non-prescription medication, butterfly closures, and eye wash — do not make a case recordable.
Question 2: Within what timeframe must employers notify OSHA of a fatality in the workplace under 29 CFR 1904.39?
- Within 8 hours of learning of the fatality (Correct answer)
- Within 24 hours
- Within 48 hours
- Within 3 business days
Correct answer: Within 8 hours of learning of the fatality
OSHA 1904.39(a)(1) requires employers to report fatalities to OSHA within 8 hours of learning about the incident, by calling the local area office or OSHA's national hotline (1-800-321-OSHA).
OSHA 29 CFR 1904.39 establishes mandatory reporting deadlines: Fatality — must be reported within 8 hours; In-patient hospitalization of one or more workers — must be reported within 24 hours; Loss of an eye — must be reported within 24 hours; Amputation — must be reported within 24 hours. Reports can be made by phone to the nearest OSHA Area Office, to the 24-hour hotline (1-800-321-6742), or electronically.
Question 3: What is the primary goal of a root cause analysis following a workplace incident?
- To identify underlying systemic causes so that corrective actions can be implemented to prevent recurrence (Correct answer)
- To assign blame to the worker who was involved
- To determine whether the incident was OSHA recordable
- To document the incident for insurance purposes
Correct answer: To identify underlying systemic causes so that corrective actions can be implemented to prevent recurrence
Root cause analysis looks beyond the immediate cause to find the systemic, organizational factors that allowed the hazard to exist, enabling the employer to correct the root cause and prevent future incidents.
Root cause analysis (RCA) is an investigative process that goes beyond the direct cause to identify contributing causes and root causes — the systemic failures in management systems, procedures, design, training, or culture that permitted the hazard to develop. Common RCA tools include the 5 Whys, Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams, fault tree analysis, and barrier analysis. The goal is systemic corrective actions, not simply retraining the injured worker.
Question 4: Under OSHA 1904.35, workers have specific rights related to workplace injury records. Which of the following is a protected right?
- The right to report injuries and illnesses without fear of retaliation, and the right to access the OSHA 300 Log (Correct answer)
- Workers must only report injuries through their union representative
- Workers can be required to sign a release before accessing OSHA records
- Only supervisors may view the OSHA 300 Log
Correct answer: The right to report injuries and illnesses without fear of retaliation, and the right to access the OSHA 300 Log
OSHA 1904.35 gives workers the right to report work-related injuries and illnesses, protection from retaliation for doing so, and the right to access the OSHA 300 Log and related records.
OSHA 29 CFR 1904.35 establishes worker rights: (1) Workers must be able to report work-related injuries and illnesses to their employer; (2) Employers may not retaliate against workers for reporting; (3) Workers, former workers, and their representatives have the right to access the OSHA 300 Log and 301 Incident Reports. Employer policies that discourage reporting — such as using post-incident drug testing as a deterrent or incentive programs tied to low injury rates — are prohibited by OSHA's 2016 rule.
Question 5: A scaffold board breaks under a worker's weight but the worker grabs a guardrail and is uninjured. This is an example of what type of event, and why should it be investigated?
- A near miss — it should be investigated because it reveals a hazard that, with a slight difference in circumstances, could have caused serious injury (Correct answer)
- A minor incident that does not require investigation since no one was hurt
- A property damage event that only requires a maintenance report
- An OSHA recordable incident because equipment was damaged
Correct answer: A near miss — it should be investigated because it reveals a hazard that, with a slight difference in circumstances, could have caused serious injury
A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury but had the potential to do so. Investigating near misses allows hazard correction before a serious injury occurs.
Near misses are events that could have caused injury or property damage but did not, typically due to chance. Risk research shows that for every serious injury there are many near misses involving the same hazardous conditions. Investigating near misses uncovers systemic hazards at a fraction of the cost of investigating actual injuries. OSHA's VPP and ANSI Z10 both emphasize near-miss reporting and investigation as a proactive safety performance indicator.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT an OSHA-required form under 29 CFR 1904 for recording work-related injuries and illnesses?
- OSHA Form 302 — Worker Medical History (Correct answer)
- OSHA Form 300 — Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
- OSHA Form 300A — Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
- OSHA Form 301 — Injury and Illness Incident Report
Correct answer: OSHA Form 302 — Worker Medical History
OSHA requires Forms 300 (Log), 300A (Annual Summary), and 301 (Incident Report). There is no OSHA Form 302 — Worker Medical History.
The OSHA Recordkeeping Rule (29 CFR 1904) requires three forms: (1) OSHA 300 — Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; (2) OSHA 300A — Summary posted February 1 through April 30 of the following year; (3) OSHA 301 — detailed account of each recordable incident. There is no OSHA Form 302. Records must be retained for 5 years. Electronic submission is required for certain employers under 1904.41.
CHST Incident Investigation and Reporting 2
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1904.7, which of the following criteria makes an injury or illness recordable on the OSHA 300 Log?