Cal/OSHA is reminding employers in California with more than 10 employees to post their 2016 annual summaries of work-related injuries and illnesses. These employers must post the annual summary no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and keep the posting in place until April 30.
“This important posting requirement increases awareness of health and safety hazards in the workplace and helps employers and employees understand how to reduce risks,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum.
Employers’ requirements to record occupational fatalities, injuries, and illnesses are in the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Sections 14300 through 14300.48. Section 14300.32 describes the annual posting requirement. Section 14300.2 lists exempted industries.
To satisfy this requirements, at the end of each calendar year, employers must:
(1) Review the Cal/OSHA Form 300 to verify that the entries are complete and accurate, and correct any deficiencies identified;
(2) Create an annual summary of injuries and illnesses recorded on the Cal/OSHA Form 300 using the Cal/OSHA Form 300A Annual Summary of Work-related Injuries and Illnesses;
(3) Certify the annual summary; and
(4) Post the annual summary.
The employer must review the entries as extensively as necessary to make sure that they are complete and correct. A company executive (as defined) must certify that he or she has examined the Cal/OSHA Form 300 and that he or she reasonably believes, based on his or her knowledge of the process by which the information was recorded, that the annual summary is correct and complete.
The employer must then post a copy of the annual summary in each establishment in a conspicuous place or places where notices to employees are customarily posted. The employer must ensure that the posted annual summary is not altered, defaced or covered by other material.
Instructions and form templates can be downloaded for free on Cal/OSHA’s Record Keeping Overview. The overview includes the summary template, Form 300A, which is the required workplace posting that must be placed in a visible, easily accessible location at each worksite. Current and former employees, including employee representatives, have the right to review the summary in its entirety.