Under federal law, an employer must report a work-related fatality to OSHA within 8 hours of learning about it, and must report a work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours of learning about it. These deadlines come from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), part of the U.S. Department of Labor, and they apply nationwide as a baseline. Routine injuries that do not rise to these levels are generally not reported to OSHA at the time they happen, though many still have to be recorded on your internal injury logs.
Getting this right matters. Missing a reporting deadline can lead to citations and penalties, and it sends a poor signal to your workforce and to investigators. This guide walks through exactly what triggers a report, the clock that starts it, how to file, and where state rules can differ. This is general information to help you build a compliant process, not legal advice for a specific incident.
The federal baseline: OSHA's two reporting deadlines
The governing law is the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, enforced by OSHA. The specific reporting rule lives in OSHA's regulations at 29 CFR 1904.39. It sets two distinct clocks based on the severity of the outcome:
Within 8 hours: a work-related fatality. You must report any death of a worker that resulted from a work-related incident.
Within 24 hours: a work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. An "inpatient hospitalization" means a formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment, not merely an emergency-room visit for observation or diagnostic testing.
The key word in both rules is work-related. The injury or illness must result from an event or exposure in the work environment. If a reasonable person would conclude the work environment caused or contributed to the outcome, it is work-related for reporting purposes.
When the clock actually starts
The deadline does not run from the moment the incident occurs. It runs from when you (the employer) learn that a reportable event happened and that it was work-related. This distinction is important for injuries that worsen over time. For example, if a worker is injured on the job but is not admitted to the hospital until days later, the 24-hour clock starts when you find out about the hospitalization.
OSHA also limits how far back you reach for certain events. A fatality must be reported only if it occurs within 30 days of the work-related incident. A hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported only if it occurs within 24 hours of the work-related incident. After those windows, the event no longer triggers the time-sensitive report (though recordkeeping obligations may still apply).
What counts as an amputation or hospitalization
These terms have specific meanings, and guessing can cause you to over-report or, worse, miss a required report.
Amputation means the traumatic loss of all or part of a limb or appendage, such as a fingertip, with or without bone loss. It includes partial amputations and fingertip amputations with bone loss, but generally does not include avulsions (tissue torn away), enucleations, deglovings, scalpings, severed ears, or broken or chipped teeth.
Inpatient hospitalization requires a formal admission for care or treatment. A worker who goes to the ER, is observed, and is sent home has not been "hospitalized" in the reporting sense. If the hospital formally admits them, the 24-hour clock starts.
Loss of an eye means the physical loss of an eye, not a temporary or partial vision impairment.
The motor-vehicle and commercial-transport exceptions
You do not have to report an event to OSHA if it resulted from a motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway (unless it happened in a construction work zone). You also do not report a death or hospitalization that occurred on a commercial or public transportation system, such as an airplane or subway. These events may be reported to other agencies, but they fall outside OSHA's reporting rule.
How to file an OSHA report
OSHA gives employers three ways to make a report:
Call the federal OSHA toll-free line at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), available around the clock.
Call the nearest OSHA area office during normal business hours.
Use the online reporting form on OSHA's website.
When you report, be ready to provide: the establishment name; the location and time of the incident; the type of event (fatality, hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss); the number of people affected; the names of those affected; a contact person and phone number; and a brief description of what happened. Designate a specific person in HR or safety to make these calls so the responsibility never falls through the cracks.
Don't confuse reporting with recordkeeping
Reporting (29 CFR 1904.39) and recordkeeping are two different obligations. Many employers with more than 10 employees, outside of certain low-hazard industries, must keep an OSHA Form 300 log of work-related injuries and illnesses, complete a Form 301 incident report for each recordable case, and post the Form 300A summary from February 1 to April 30 each year. A minor injury that is recordable on your 300 log may never need to be phoned in to OSHA. Conversely, a reportable hospitalization is both reported and recorded. Keep these two systems straight in your written procedures.
State plans: where the rules can be stronger
About half the states operate their own OSHA-approved "State Plans" that cover private-sector workers, public-sector workers, or both. A State Plan must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and some adopt additional or stricter reporting requirements. This varies by state. For example, some State Plans require reporting of certain in-patient hospitalizations or events that federal OSHA would not, or use slightly different definitions and contact procedures.
If you operate in a State Plan state, confirm your obligations with your state's OSHA program or state labor department, not just federal guidance. The practical rule of thumb: follow whichever requirement is stricter, and when in doubt about whether something is reportable, it is usually safer to report than to stay silent.
What to document at the scene and afterward
Good documentation protects your workers, your investigation, and your defense if a citation is later disputed. After ensuring the injured worker gets medical care and the scene is safe, capture:
Time and date the incident occurred and the time you first learned it was reportable (this fixes your deadline).
Names and statements of the injured worker and any witnesses, taken as soon as practical.
Photographs or video of the area, equipment, and conditions, before anything is moved or repaired (beyond what's needed for safety or rescue).
The equipment, tools, materials, or substances involved, and any maintenance or inspection records for them.
Medical information you receive about the diagnosis and whether the worker was formally admitted.
A timeline of your internal response, including who you notified and when, and the confirmation number from your OSHA report.
Preserve the scene to the extent you safely can until OSHA tells you otherwise. Tampering with or destroying evidence can compound your problems.
Protect the worker, and avoid retaliation
Section 11(c) of the OSH Act prohibits retaliation against employees for reporting injuries or raising safety concerns. Reporting policies and incentive programs cannot discourage workers from reporting. Make sure the injured employee gets prompt medical attention, understands they will not be punished for being hurt, and is told how your workers' compensation process works. Workers' comp claims and benefits are governed by state law, with separate deadlines and notice requirements that vary by state, so handle that track in parallel with your OSHA obligations.
Build a simple compliance checklist
Turn all of this into a one-page internal procedure so any supervisor can act correctly at 2 a.m.:
Step 1: Get medical help and secure the scene.
Step 2: Notify your designated OSHA-reporting contact immediately.
Step 3: Determine severity. Fatality means 8 hours; hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss means 24 hours from when you learned of it.
Step 4: Confirm whether you are in a State Plan state and follow the stricter rule.
Step 5: File by phone or online and save the confirmation.
Step 6: Record the case on your 300 log if recordable, and start the workers' comp process.
Step 7: Document everything and preserve evidence.
When you treat OSHA reporting as a defined process rather than a judgment call made under stress, you protect your people and your organization. If a particular incident is genuinely ambiguous, call OSHA or your state program and ask, or consult an employment-safety attorney, because the right answer depends on the facts.
The law behind your rights at work
Workplace safety is governed by the federal OSH Act; workers’ compensation is a state-run system that varies widely.
Your state and city matter. Federal law is the floor — many states and cities require higher pay, more leave, and broader protections. Always check your state’s rules (and any local ordinances) in addition to the federal laws above. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an employer have to report an injury to OSHA?
It depends on the outcome. A work-related fatality must be reported within 8 hours of learning of it. A work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours. The clock starts when you learn the event happened and was work-related, not necessarily when the incident occurred.
When is an employer required to notify OSHA of a workplace accident?
Federal OSHA requires notification only for serious outcomes: any work-related death, or any work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss. Routine injuries that don't meet these thresholds generally aren't reported to OSHA, though they may need to be recorded on your OSHA 300 log.
Does an emergency-room visit count as a hospitalization for OSHA reporting?
No. An ER visit for observation, testing, or treatment without a formal admission is not an "inpatient hospitalization." The 24-hour reporting clock starts only when the hospital formally admits the worker to its in-patient service for care or treatment.
How do you actually report to OSHA?
You can call the 24-hour federal line at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), call your nearest OSHA area office during business hours, or use OSHA's online reporting form. Have the establishment name, incident details, number and names of those affected, and a contact person ready.
Do state rules ever differ from federal OSHA?
Yes. About half the states run their own OSHA-approved State Plans that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and some impose stricter or additional reporting requirements. This varies by state, so confirm your obligations with your state's OSHA program and follow whichever rule is stricter.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law or the law in your jurisdiction. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
Knowing your rights is the first step
Join thousands committing to calmly and consistently exercise their constitutional rights.
