ML19308B829
| ML19308B829 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 10/31/1976 |
| From: | Byrom J, Chandler D, Eicher R EG&G, INC. |
| To: | |
| References | |
| TASK-TF, TASK-TMR ERDA-76-45-007, ERDA-76-45-7, SSDC-7, NUDOCS 8001170408 | |
| Download: ML19308B829 (37) | |
Text
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ERDA-76/45-7 SSDC-7 I
ERDA Guide to the Classification of Occupational injuries and illnesses SYSTEM SAFETY DEVELOPMEt T CENTER I
I I
I h ERDA U EGsG (q
EG&G Idaho, Inc.
P.O. Bos 1625 P90R BRGE Idaho Fath. Idaho 83401 OCTOBER 1976 UNITED STATES ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVEl.OPMENT ADMINISTRATION
}
DIVISION OF SAFETY, STANDARDS, AND COMPLIANCE 800117090{
i 1
i DISCLAIMER i
This report was orepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Governrent.
Neither the United States nor the United States Energy Research and Develop-ment Administration, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, nakes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, com-pleteness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.
Available from:
l National Technical Infonnation Service (NTIS)
U.S. Department of Commerce
)
5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 l
Price:
Printed Copy:
$ 4.00 Microfiche:
$ 3.00 POOR ORIGINAL G
ERDA-76/45-7 SSDC-7 UC-41 1
ERDA GUIDE TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES Prepared By C. R. Shaber J. P. Byrom D
D. K. Chandler R. W. Eicher Work Performed At EG&G IDAHO, INC.
IDAHO OPERATIONS OFFICE Under Contract No. EY-76-C-07-1570 October 1976
ACKNOWLEDGMENT We gratefully acknowledge the helpful suggestions we received from the many reviewers throughout the ERDA organization. We especially appreciate the fine editorial and composition assistance provided by Della Kellogg.
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I CONTENTS Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1 2.0 DEFINITIONS...........................
3 2.1 Recordable Occupational Injuries and Illnesses......
3 3
2.2 Occupational Injury....................
2.3 Occuoa tional Ill ness...................
3 2.4 Workdays Lost (WDL)....................
4 2.5 Workdays Lost Restriction (WDLR).............
5 2.6 First Aid.........................
5 2.7 Establishment.......................
5 2.8 Occupa'tional/ Work-Related.................
6 6
2.9 Medical Treatment.
2.10 OSHA _og of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses......
6 3.0 EVALUATION -)F RECORD PERFORMANCE................
7 3.1 Incid3nce (Rate), Recordable Cases............
7 3.2 Incidence (Rate), Lost Workday Cases (LWC)........
7 3.3 Incident Severi ty, WDL..................
7 3.4 Incide nt Severi ty, WDLR..................
7
)
4.0 GENERAL GUIDES.........................
9 4.1 Basic Cases........................
9 4.1.1 Injuries.....................
9 4.1.2 Illnesses......
.............10 4.2 Recording Requi rements.................
10 5.0 S PECI A' Gu l DES........................
13 5.1 Injuries and Illnesses.................
13 Allergies....................
13 5.
Backs......................
13 5.1. 3 B ro ken Teeth..................
13 5.1.4 Physicians' Opinions, Directions, Diagnosis, Etc.
13 5.1. 5 Drug Reactions, On-Off Job...........
13 5.1.6 Eye Probl ems..................
13 5.1.7 Hearing Loss..................
14 5.1.8 Heart Attacks..................
14 5.1.9 Hernia.....................
14 5.1.10 I n f ec ti on s...................
14 5.1.11 Injury and Illness Dates............
14 5.1.12 Precautions and Observations..........
14 5.1.13 Slips, Use of Crutches, Canes, Wheelchairs, Etc.
15
P G
CONTENTS (Cont.)
Page 5.2 T i me/ P l a ce.......................
15 5.2.1 Luncn and Coffee Breaks.............
15 5.2.2 Travel for Medical Attention..........
15 5.2.3 Time Waiting for Medical Tests.........
15 5.2.4 Nonwork/Nonplant Activities, Recreation, Etc...
16 5.2.5 Out-of-Plant, On An Errand, Return for Personal Reasons.....................
16 5.2.6 Robbery Confrontations, Other Emergency Actions.
16 5.2.7 Shower Room, Washroom Accidents.........
16 5.2.8 Time Duri ng Stri ke...............
17 5.2.9 Travel Status..................
17 6.0 APPENDIX - EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS.............
19 Examples are given to illustrate the rules in Special Guides, Section 5.0.
The examples follow the same sequence as listed above in Section 5.0, except the paragraphs are numbered as part of this Appendix, i.e., 6.X.X.
7.0 REFERENCES
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l.0 INTRODUCTION The U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) administers and regulates its own injury / illness classification and recording program. This program incorporates many of the require-ments of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).
In some cases, the ERDA program uses or refers to OSHA materials (such as the OSHA No.100 log) which have been found to be applicable with-out change.
The purpose of this proposed guide is to provide a uniform nethod for classifying and recording injuries and illnesses, as required by ERDAM Appendix 0502 and ERDAM Chapter 0506 (to be issued). To assist in this endeavor, an ettempt has been made to meet the expressed desire of the U. S. Department of Labor, Buretu of Labor Statistics, for simplicity of the recordkeeping requirements.
Employers are required to maintain an accurate log of injury and illness at each separate work establishment.
Log entries of work-connected injuries and illnesses are required (with specific excep-tions) to be made within six working days of a case occurrence.
I It is the responsibility of the employer to make a decision as to recordability of cases, based on the several inputs available to the employer. These inputs include the employee's statement, fellow workers' and supervisor's statements, physicians' opinions, the employer's knowledge of the work process, this guideline document, and other reference sources (see Reference section).
Employers will be expected to be able to defend any decision not to enter a case on the log.
For this reason, employers should enter questionable cases on the log, with the option of being able to "line it out" later if additional information shows the case to be not recordable.
To improve the usefulness of future revisions of this guide, users are requested to submit the results of cases they handled which raquired interpretation beyond the coverage of available references.
We che wele.ome questions and suggestions pertaining to interpreta-tions of anticipated problem cases.
~
Consistency in recording similar occurrences in plant logs is a prerequisite to maintaining a uniform and useful record. When consistency is developed in the required recordkeeping, similar, well-kept records will result in meaningful comparisons of work injury experience.
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The guides outlined here are meant to simplify the reporting and recording, including OSHA log posting, requirements in order to aid the employer in carrying out his responsibility under the ERDA orogram. This guide is intended to:
a.
Clarify definitions of various injuries and illnesses.
b.
Promote accurate, uniform recording of injury / illness da ta.
c.
Improve comparat ility of injury records.
d.
Standardize classifications of:
{l)
First aid cases (2)
Occupational injuries j
(3)
Occupational illnesses (4)
Workdays lost I
l (5)
Workday restrictions l
This guide does not attempt to determine responsibility or to place blame for the purpose of incrimination.
It is simply to j
aid employers in the correct classification and logging of all work-connected injuries and illnesses. The criteria given here are to assist the employer to develop consistency and uniformity in making these determinations.
Guidance contained herein is in no way intended to correspond or be applicable to workmen's compensation laws. The wide disparity among the various state compensation laws necessitates that compen-sation be addressed separately from classification and recording l
of occupational injuries and illnesses.
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2.0 DEFINITIONS 2.1 Recordable Occupational Injuries and Illnesses These are those cases that result in:
a.
Fatalities - Regardless of the time between the recorded injury and death or the length of recorded illness (provided that a positive work-related connection can be reasonably established).
b.
Lost Workday Cases - Cases, other than fatalities, that result in workdays lost (WDL) or workdays lost restric-tion (WDLR).
c.
Nonfatal Cases Without Workdays Lost - Cases of occupa-tional injury or illness which did not involve fatalities or workdays lost but did result in:
(1) transfer to anocher job or termination of employment, (2) medical treatment other than first aid, (3) diagnosis of occupa-tio1al illness, (4) loss of consciousness, or (5) restric-tion of work or motion that does not prevent the injured fror.: doing all parts of his regularly assigned job.
2.2 Occupational Injury Any injury, such as a cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation, which results from a work-related accident or from exposure to the work environment.
In some cases, an employer may classify an exposure to chemicals or toxic agents as an injury where there is a single traumatic event associated with the exposure.
2.3 Occupational Illness Any abnormal physical condition or disorder of an employee, other than one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with the employment.
It includes (but may not be limited to) acute and chronic illnesses or diseases which may be caused by inhalation, absorption, ingestion, direct contact, or radiation.
Typical examples of illnesses are as follows:
a.
Occupational Skin Diseases or Disorders Examples: Contact dermatitis, eczema, or rash caused by primary irritants and/or sensitizers or poisonous plants; oil acne; chrome ulcers; chemical burns or I
inflammations; etc. (Code 21)
I b.
Dust Diseases of the Lungs (Pneumoconioses)
Examples: Silicosis, asbestosis, coal worker's pneu-moconiosis, byssinosis, and other pneumoconioses (Code 22) c.
Respiratory Conditions Due to Toxic Agents Examples: Pneumonitis; pharyngitis; rhinitis, or acute congestion due to chemicals, dusts, gases, or fumes; farmer's lung; etc. (Code 23) d.
Poisoning Effects of Toxic flaterials Examples: Poisoning by lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, or other metals; poisoning by carbon ' monoxide, hydrogen sulfide or other gases; poisoning by benzol, carbon tetrachloride, or other organic solvents; poisoning by insecticide sprays such as parathion or lead arsenate; poisoning by other chemicals such as formaldehyde, plastics, and resins; etc. (Code 24) e.
Disorders Due to Physis.a1 Agents (other than toxic materials)
Examples: Heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and other effects of environmental heat; freezing, frostbite, and effects of exposure to low temperature; caisson disease; effects l
of ionizing radiation; effects of nonionizing radiation (prolonged or repeated exposure to welding flash, ultra-violet rays, microwaves, sunburn); etc. (Code 25) f.
Disorders Associated With Repeated Trauma Examples: Noise-induced hearing loss; synovitis, tenosynovitis, and bursitis; Raynaud's phenomena; and other conditions due to repeated motion, vibration, or pressure (Code 26) g.
All Other Occupational Illnesses Examples: Anthrax, brucellosis, infectious hepatitis, malignant and benign tumors, food poisoning, histo-plasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, etc. (Code 20) 2.4 Workdays Lost (WDL)
Those days which the employee would have worked but could not because of occupational injury or illness. The number of workdays lost should not include the day of injury or onset of illness. The number of days includes only complete days (consecutive or not) on which, because of injury or illness, the employee would have worked but could not.
Days during which the employec
, ander observation only and it is later determined that tne injury was not serious enough to warrant the time off should not be counted.
(.
l 2.5 Workdays Lost Restriction (WDLR)
Those workdays following (do not include the day of injury or onset of illness) an occupational injury or illness on which, because of the injury or illness:
a.
The employee was assigned to a temporary job.
b.
The employee worked at a permanent job but for only part of the normal, scheduled work time each day.
A visit to the dispensary for purposes other than medical treatment does not of itself constitute a restriction.
The employee worked at a permanently assigned job but c.
could not perform all duties normally assigned to it.
2.6 First Aid One-time treatment and subsequent observation of minor scratches, cuts, burns, splinters, and so forth, which do not ordinarily require professional medical care even though it may be provided by a physician or registered professional personnel.
2.7 Establishment A single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed (for example:
a factory, mill, store, hotel, restaurant, movie theater, farm, ranch, bank, sales office, warehouse, or central administrative office). Where distinctly separate contract activities are performed at a single physical location, each activity shall be treated as a separate establishment. An EP.DA facility at one geographical site under one management and contract is a single establishment.
For firms engaged in activities, such as agriculture, construc-tion, transportation, communications, and electric, gas, and sanitary services, which may be physically dispersed, records may be maintained at a place to which employees normally report each day.
Records for personnel who do not primarily report or work at a single establishment, such as traveling salesmen, techni-cians, engineers, etc., shall be maintained at the location from which they are paid or the base from which personnel operate to carry out their activities.
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I 2.8 Occupational / Work-Related Arising out of or comprised of the physical location, equip-ment, materials processed or used, and the kinds of operations performed by an employee in the performance of his work, whether on or off the employer's premises, including offi-cial travel.
2.9 Medical Treatment Medical treatment includes treatment (other than first aid) administered by a physician or by registered professional personnel under the standing orders of a physician. Medical treatment does not include first aid treatment (one-time treatment and subsequent observation of minor scratches, cuts, burns, splinters, and so forth, which do not ordi-narily require professional care) even though such care is provided by a physician or registered professional personnel.
Prescription medicines would be considered as medical treat-ment, unless they are administered only as preventive medicine or as diagnostic medicine that reveals no injury or illness.
2.10 OSHA Log of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses j
That log (form OSHA-100 or approved substitute) kept by each employer who is subject to the recordkeeping requirements of ERDAM Appendix 0502. This log must be available (normally at the establishment) for inspection and use by authorized officials.
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l 3.0 EVALUATION OF RECORD PERFORMANCE 3.1 Incidence (Rate), Recordable Cases The number of recordable injuries and illnesses per 200,000 total hours worked by all employees during the period covered.
The 200,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> worked are equivalent to 100 full-time workers at 40 hours4.62963e-4 days <br />0.0111 hours <br />6.613757e-5 weeks <br />1.522e-5 months <br /> per week for 50 weeks.
Incidence _ No. of Recordable Injuries & Illnesses x 200,000 J
(Rate) -
Total Hours Worked Rates for special purposes may bo derived, as indicated above, for workdays lost, workdays lost restriction, or fatalities.
(There is currently no ERDA requirement for these rates.)
3.2 Incidence (Rate), Lost Workday Cases (LWC) 1 The number of cases recorded in column 9 of the OSHA 100 log shall be used to calculate this rate.
Therefore, uniform calculation for the rate shall be as follows:
I LWC = No. of Lost Workday Cases x 200,000 Total Hours Worked 3.3 Incident Severity, WDL The total number of days lost entered in column 9A of the OSHA 100 log shall be used to calculate this rate.
Severity WDL = No. Workaays Lost x 200,000 Total Hours Worked 3.4 Incident Severity, WDLR The total number of days lost, due to restrictions that are entered in column 9B of the OSHA 100 log, shall be used to calculate this rate.
Severity WDLR = No. of Workdays Restriction x 200,000 Total Hours Worked I
I 4.0 GENERAL GUIDES 4.1 Basic Cases
4.1.1 Injuries
Any occurrence, as defined in Section 2.1 or 2.2, above, would normally require an entry as Code 10 in the OSHA 100 log, unless the severity is so minor that it is classified as "First Aid" as described in Section 2.6.
When a question arises on the cause of an injury or illness, the employer must make a decision whether or not it is work-related. The employer must be prepared to defend this decision. A doubtful case may be entered in the log and, if it is later deter-mined not to be work-related, it may be lined out.
Therefore, an employer should develop written records to verify a sound basis for decisions on any ques-tionable case. These records should show relative information, when available, such as:
a.
Accurate medical diagnosis of the employee's I
injury by cne or more medical authorities.
b.
Accounts of related prior medical difficulty of the same type by this employee, if there are any.
(NOTE: Such information may justify an entry. )
c.
Facts that show the circumstances were not as reported by the employee and/or that the origi-nally reported occurrence would not be a cause for the injury, or that it is not work-related.
d.
Related work factors, or their absence, such as noise, heat, cold, chemicals, dust, etc., that would have a bearing on the case.
e.
Factual data from any source showing that the injury arose from "off the job, nonoccupational causes".
Delayed reports of injuries that are confirmed to nave been work-related should cause the actual date of injury to be entered in column 2 cf the OSHA 100 log.
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l 4.1. 2 Illnesses: An illness, as described in Section 2.3, above, will normally require an entry in the OSHA 100 log with the appropriate code (21 to 29) shown in column 7 of the log. When an occupational illness is diagnosed and reported to the employer, it is recordable. Normally, the recorded illness entry date shall be the date of diagnosis.
However, if the diagnosis follows a period during which the employee has been unable to perform his regular duties for unknown reasons, the entry date should be the first day of absence under that spell of illness, if that illness appears logically related to the diagnosis.
In the event of hearing loss, a Code 26 entry nor-mally is made only when the hearing loss results from prolonged exposure to a work-related noisy environment. A hearin' loss due to a single work-related incident (traumatic) normally is considered an injury and recorded as Code 10 in column 7 of the OSHA 100 log.
A small chemical burn (requiring medical treatment) from a one-time exposure to a chemical shall normally be considered as an injury and entered in column 7 as a Code 10 occurrence. Chemical burns received from repeated exposure are normally coded as illnesses, and Code 21 is to be used in column 7.
4.2 Recording Requirenents The basic recording guides are contained on the front and back of the OSHA 100 log sheets; therefore, they are not repeated here. Certain related information and interpretations are provided to assist in meeting the requirement in a uniform manner.
The log of occupaticaal injuries and illnesses is required to list all recordable work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
l It must be kept current and must be retained indefinitely.
Log entries should be made in ink. Any correction is made by l
lining out (single line) the original entry and entering the new data above it. The person making the change shall initial t
and date the correction.
Supplemental to the log, there nust be available a report that provides the details concerning each entry. The form ERDA-101, or an approved equal, shall normally be used for this purpose.
1 IERDA Appendix 0230 (Records Retention), Annex C-8, has temporarily sus-pended disposal of such records pending completion of the Health and
(
Mortality Study. --
1
l Log entries are to be made no later than six (6) working a.
days following the date of an injury. On an occupational illness, this six-day period begins when the diagnosis of the illness is given to the employer, unless the circumstances, as described above in Section 4.1.2, exist.
For cases described in Sections 4.1.2 and 4.2.c, the date entered in column 2 of the log may precede the date of the illness diagnosis or the date of injury determi nation.
In this situation, the log entry must i
still be made no later than six working days following the date of diagnosis or determination.
b.
Cases involving WDLR are to be logged, and the workdays of restriction that are lost will be entered in column 9B.
(However, it is possible to have restriction of work or motion without having a WDLR case. This situation may exist when a restriction of motion does not interfere f
with any part of the employee's regular job performance.
Example: A secretary, because of a work-related injury, is restricted from climbing ladders for ten workdays.
Since the secretary's job involves no ladder climbing, there are no WDLR listed. Her ase would be recorded I
in column 10, as it was a nonfatal case without lost workdays.)
c.
A delayed report of an injury or illness in which there is a belated determination that the case was, in fact, work-related shall be entered in the log. The actual date of injury or onset of illness shall be used in column 2 of the log.
d.
Contractors having a contract containing the Safety and Health Clause ERDA-PR 9-75004-12(a), shall be respon-sible for recording and reporting all recordable occu-pational injuries and illnesses (including that of subtier contractor experience).
e.
Injuries occurring to employees while on authorized travel are recordable.
Further details and exceptions are given in Section 5.0 of this manual.
f.
When a question exists as to whether or not an employee is able to work, following a work-related injury, a log entry should be made.
If it later turns out that the employee was able to perform his or her job, the entry may be lined out or otherwise corrected as necessary.
l l
g.
Recordable injury case entries shall have the WDL or WDLR end upon determination of death, total disability, retirement, plant shutdown, or permanent transfer because of injury or illness. WDL also ends upon return to the regular job or to work that qualifies as WDLR. WDLR also ends upon return to the regular job and normal hours, with performance of all duties.
h.
Time off, by an injured bargaining unit employee during a period when the union is off work due to a strike, will not be counted as part of the WDL entry column 9A or 9B.
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s 5.0 SPECIAL GUIDES When there is a claim that an employee's injury, illness, or fatality is work-related but there is no known accident or inci-dent involved, then the employer shall investigate all work-related circumstances. The investigation should include the employee's work history, statements of co-workers, medical information, etc.
The results of the investigation shall determine whether there is any basis for an occupational log entry.
5.1 Injuries and Illnesses
5.1.1 Allergies
An illness to an employee resulting from allergic reaction shall be recordable if it is deter-mined by the employer that the reaction is a result of work-related activity or the environment of employment.
5.1. 2 Backs: Upon any claim of a back injury, the employer must determine if there was an injury, whether it resulted from a work incident and whether it was of recordable extent or outcome.
If the answers are 4
"yes", the injury should be entered into the log.
D 5.1. 3 Broken Teeth: Any work-related occurrence which results in a broken tooth (or teeth), excluding dentures, shall be recordable.
5.1.4 Physicians' Opinions, Directions, Diagnosis, Etc.:
The recordability of an injury or illness is the responsibility of the employer. Medical opinions, diagnoses, etc., may help the employer make a deter-mination if the case is work-related, the extent of the workdays lost, or the days of work restriction.
X-rays, blood tests, and similar test procedures l
used for diagnostic purposes, in and of themselves, j
l are not medical treatments and are not criteria for case classification.
l l
5.1.5 Drug Reactions, On-Off Job:
Illness resulting solely from reaction to precautionary drug injections, blood tests, etc., used for diagnostic purposes, shall not cause a case to become recordable if it was not already recordable.
Reactions to in-plant treatment of nonoccupational conditions do not constitute a recordable entry.
5.1. 6 Eye Problems: Work-related eye problems exceeding D
first aid are recordable.
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5.1.7 Hearing Loss: Medical evidence of a hearing loss shall be.cause to determine whether or not the loss is work-related.
If so, it shall be recorded in the log. Traumatic hearing loss from an accident would normally be considered an injury.
Hearing loss from prolonged exposure would normally be considered an illness.
5.1.8 Heart Attacks: Heart attacks shall be considered recordable when there is a preponderance of evidence that the attack did result from work-related activity.
When an employee suffers a heart attack, the employer should develop written information to defend his decision.
5.1.9 Hernia
If medical diagnosis reveals that any work-related accident or incident has caused a hernia, any resulting WDL and/or WDLR shall be entered into the log. A medically-diagnosed hernia, when there is no evidence of its preexistence, shall be recorded if there is a valid work-related basis.
When an employee claims that a hernia is work-related but no known accident or incident is involved, the I
employer shall investigate all related circumstances.
The investigation should include the employee's complete work history, medical information, etc.
The results of the investigation shall determine whether there is any basis for an occupational log entry.
5.1.10 Infections: An infection is work-related if either the skin condition or the infectious biological agent, or both, are work-related.
5.1.11 Injury and Illness Dates: The injury date entered on the OSHA log shall be that date on which the injury is knowr. to have occurred. An occupational illness shall be recorded as of the date of diagnosis.
(For exceptions, see Section 4.1.2. )
5.1.12 Frecautions and Observations:
First aid and other nonmedical treatments taken by nurses or physicians to assure that a potential situation does not develop into an injury or illness will not require a log entry. This shall include observation without medical treatment in a hospital from the time of a suspected injury that could have a delayed effect, to the time when the case physician advises the employer that there was no recordable injury and the I
employee is returned to work without restrictions.
5.1.13 Slips, Use of Crutches, Canes, Wheelchairs, Etc.:
An incident causing an injury, arising from a slip, trip, fall, or similar incident which occurs in the plant or during a work-related activity outside of the plant must be entered in the OSHA log.
An injury shall not be entered in the OSHA log when the injury arises solely from a physical deficiency or prosthesis or prosthetic device used solely because of the employee's physical deficiencies.
The employer must be able to show that no plant accident or work-related factors were involved.
5.2 Time / Place 5.2.1 Lunch and Coffee Breaks:
Injuries which occur during an employee's authorized lunch, rest, or coffee breaks, shall be considered work-related.
)
5.2.2 Travel for Medical Attention:
A complete workday lost because of travel 2 for a.
medical treatment of a work-related injury or illness shall be recordable as WDL.
b.
If part of a day is worked and the remainder is lost because of travel 2 for medical treatment of a work-related injury or illness, that day shall be recorded as one WDLR.
c.
An injury occurring while traveling to obtain treatment of a work-related injury or illness shall itself be considered work-related.
d.
A workday lost because of travel for medical diagnosis and evaluation that shows, in fact, there was no recordable injury or illness shall require no log entry.
5.2.3 Time Waiting for Medical Tests: A medical treatment case that involves additional time away from work due to delay in medical diagnosis shall require the WDL to be recorded. Tests, used for diagnosis only, that involve time away from work shall not, in and of themselves, result in a log entry. However, when the tests result in a diagnosis of a recordable injury or illness, any workdays lost awaiting results of the tests shall be entered also in the OSHA 100 log.
2This does not apply to travel on the day of injury.
l 5.2.4 Nonwork/flonplant Activities, Recreation, Etc.:
Injuries or illnesses resulting from nonwork acti-vities and outside of the plant shall not normally be considered work-related. The major exception is participation in company-sponsored events, such as ballgames or boxing matches, in which the partici-pants are entered primarily to officially represent the company as advertisers, public relations, etc.,
rather than for their own recreation. They would be considered on duty, and any injury or illness would be work-related.
Employees participating in purely recreational events where company prizes are given, etc., would not be work-related, unless the event took place on the plant premises during working hours.
Injuries or illnesses from recreation permitted on plant premises during work breaks and lunch periods shall be considered work-related.
Work-related injuries or illnesses arising from horseplay are recordable.
5.2.5 Out-of-Plant, On An Errand, Return for Personal Reasons: Any injury resulting from a work-related activity, even though that activity may take an employee from the premises of the employer, shall be recordable.
" Work-related activity" shall include:
a.
Duty performed in carrying out an assignment or request of the employer, including incidental and related activities not specifically covered by the assignment request.
b.
Volur.tary work or activity undertaken while on duty, with the consent or sanction of the employer.
5.2.6 Robbery Confrontations, Other Emergency Actions: An injury arising from an altercation or emergency in which an employee is acting in the interest of his employer shall be recordable in the OSHA 100 log.
5.2.7 Shower Room, Washroom Accidents: An employee injured going to or from a shov.er or washroom, while he is taking a shower or otherwise using washroom facili-ties before, during, or after working hours on company l
premises, would be considered work-related if the l
employee's work occasions the use of the facility.
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I 5.2.8 Time During Strike: An injury or illness occurring during times of strike will be recordable if incurred in the interest of the employer, and the person is currently employed by that employer.
5.2.9 Travel Status:
Injuries or illnesses to employees on travel status normally shall be considered work-related. The travel status shall extend from the time the employee leaves home until he arrives back at home. The following exceptions are not consi-dered normally work-related and may justify the employer's omitting an injury from the OSHA 100 log.
a.
Deviations from the authorized travel, b.
Personal entertainment or recreation taken outside the purpose or scope of the authorized travel.
Fights or fighting (unless Section 5.2.6 applies).
c.
d.
Illegal activity.
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6.0 APPENDIX - EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS NOTE: The paragraphs in this Appendix are numbered in the same sequence as the paragraphs to which they pertain in Section 5.0 of the primary document.
6.1 Injuries and Illnesses
6.1.1 Allergies
A painter, who spent several days spraying a a.
substance containing silicon, developed a tightness in his chest. The tightness was diagnosed as acute tracheobronchitis, caused by a substance in the silicon mixture to which the employee was allergic. The allergy does not change the fact that the illness is recordable.
The OSHA 100 log, column 7 code entry should show Code 22.
b.
A chemist worked for years with several types of chemicals. When the chemist suffered an acute case of dermatitis to the hands and feet, the physician conducted a series of tests which gave positive irdications to some of the chemi-cals used on the job by the employee. This case is recordable on the presumption that the dermatitis resulted from work-related activity.
The OSHA 100 log, column 7 code entry should show Code 21.
6.1.2 Back Injuries:
a.
On a Wednesday, a supervisor who worked straight weekdays was walking in the plant office hallway.
She slipped and in falling, wrenched her back.
The plant physician required that she undergo three days of traction at the hospital. This resulted in her missing work on Thursday and Friday, but she was able to return to her regular weekday shift on Monday without restrictions. This case should be entered into the OSHA 100 log and should be listed as a WDL case of two days.
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I b.
Two construction inspectors claimed that they were having back trouble that was causing pain.
Each attributed the pain to his work. The super-visor was concerned and sent them both to the company physician for examination and evaluation.
The supervisor also investigated their work and checked co-workers for knowledge of any accident history on which a work-related claim could be verified.
Inspector "A" was middle-aged and overweight, and the medical report showed that he was developing hypertrophic arthritis in an increasing degree.
The checks revealed no accident history and no work-related causes for injury.
No OSHA 100 log entry should be made on this claim.
Inspector "B" was in his late 20's.
The medical report received by the employer was vague as to specific cause, but it did indicate symptoms of a back sprain and there were some old bruise marks along his ribs.
Investigation in the field determined that co-workers had observed inspector "B" slip while checking on a steel erection job i he week before. At the time, he was wearing a safety belt and when he slipped, he was caught by the lanyard.
He was able to climb back without assistance and continued his work. This incident should be entered into the OSHA 100 log.
It should show the actual date of the slip, not the date when his supervisor sent him to the physician.
6.1.3 Broken Teeth: An occurrence in which an employee breaks a tooth (or teeth), while eating in a meal situation sanctioned by the employer, shall be recordable.
6.1.4 Physicians' Opinions:
a.
A mail clerk was involved in a vehicle accident in a company car. The employer sent the clerP to the hospital for a check by a physician.
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was found, by X-ray, that a bruised arm was not fractured. A small adhesive bandage was applied to a skinned elbow and the clerk was returned to work without restrictions. This would be 9 first aid case and should not be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
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b.
A pipefitter received some hydrofluoric acid burns. No immediate action was taken, but later, when the area struck by the acid began to hurt, the fitter was referred to a physician. The physician gave him subcutaneous injections to neutralize the acid burn penetration. Medical followup treatment continued for several days, but since this was a one-time traumatic exposure to a chemical, the case should be entered in the OSHA 100 log as a Code 10 injury.
c.
A pipefitter received minor acetic acid burns on f
his hand. He washed promptly with water before going to a physician. The physician had the j
nurse apply some ointment and a small bandage.
The pipefitter was told to return if any trouble developed.
There was no trouble, so this case would be considered as first aid and no entry in the OSHA 100 log should be made.
6.1.5 Drug Reactions:
a.
A carpenter scraped his arm while repairing a company billboard. He reported to the company medical facilities to report the injury and I
obtain medical aid. The physician on duty examined the arm, recommended the injury be washed with saline solution, and not be bandaged. As a precaution against infection, the carpenter was given a tetanus booster.
The carpenter experienced a severe reaction from the shot and lost two days f om work.
The workdays lost would not be recordable, because the time lost was from a preventive /
precautionary procedure and not from the injured arm.
b.
An of fice clerk came to the plant medical faci-lity for treatment of a rash on his arms aM face. The facility physician, after consultat.ian and (xamination, concluded that the problem was caused by " poison ivy" contact the employee had encountered during a fishing trip over the previous weekend. The employer considered this nonoccupational and tot work-related, so no entry in the log wt, made. The employee was given treatment at the company medical facility so he could continue at his work; however, the employee developed a severe reaction to che treatment and lost three complete days from work. No OSHA 100 log entry should be made.
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6.1.6 Eyes: An injury to the eye, caused by a foreign body of questionable origin, is recordable only if the employer determines that it is work-related.
Flushing-out of a substance shall normally be considered first aid.
Embedded material that must be removed surgically or by a physician is considered medical treatment.
6.1.7 h_>aring Loss: A heavy equipment operator, with 20 yeu s of service, claimed an occupational hearing loss.
7 thnisch part of his duties involved a noisy work env..
.t periodic routine audiometric tests conducted by ;he employee's medical staff revealed there was no basis for the loss claim.
No log entry is required.
6.1.8 Heart Attacks:
a.
A company carpenter was assisting his co-worker in routine loading of equipment at a job site where their day's work was to be done.
Suddenly, he developed a severe chest pain and labored breathing.
His co-worker completed the loading alone and took the carpenter to lI the dispensary, before going back to the shop.
A heart condition was suspected, so the carpen-ter was referred to the hospital by ambulance.
While enroute to the hospital, his condition became much worse, and he died shortly after arrival at the hospital.
A review of his medical history and previous physicals revealed a heart condition.
The coroner's report revealed that the circumstances or the death were not unexpected. The company medical consultant advised that the employee's routine work was not a contributing factor.
No log entry is required.
b.
A supervisor enroute in a company car from work activities in one plant to his office location in another plant was involved in a vehicle accident. A passenger was injured and two passengers of the second vehicle involved were injured and taken to the hospital. Both cars were badly damaged. The supervisor sustained no apparent injury and was very busy handling accident followup details. About three hours at te:i the accident, he sudder,1y collapsed and --
I was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospi-tal emergency room.
Subsequently, a coroner's report attributed death to a heart attack. The company physician advised that prior medical history revealed no basis to anticipate the heart attack, and the heart failure was believed to be a result of the shock and stress of the vehicle accident. The case should be entered in the log and proper notification made.
c.
During a weekend hunting trip, an off-duty employee was stricken by a heart attack and died. His widow called the company to inquire about workmen's compensation benefits, becausr:
she felt the general stress of his work had prompted the attack.
The employer's investi-gation revealed that the employee did a rela-tively sedentary job. There had been no unusual stress or event to support a claim of a work-related cause.
This case is not recordable, nor would it have been if the attack had occurred during I
the employee's normal duties while at work.
However, it may be prudent of the employer to notify his workmen's compensation insurance carrier of the death and the possible claim.
6.1. 9 Hernia:
a.
A mechanic assisted in loading a compressor into a pickup truck. During manual handling, he slipped and almost lost control of the compressor. The slip caused the mechanic to have pain in his groin, which was diagnosed as a hernia. This should be entered in the OSHA 100 log with WDL and WDLR time ensuing from the injury and its surgical repair.
b.
An employee told his supervisor that he had a hernia and that he thought it was work-related.
There was no accident or incident claimed. The employer's investigation revealed no work-related accident or incident. There had been nothing recognized by the employee or co-workers to justify recording the hernia as work-related.
ho OSHA 100 log entry should be made. -
I 6.1.10 Infections: A mechanic, while off duty, noticed a pimple on his leg, diagnosed it as an ingrown hair, and pulled the hair out. A few days later the man noticed his leg was infected. The employer's inves-tigation and medical reports indicated that the infection was a result of grease and dirt ground into the head of the pimple. Since it was deter-mined that the biological agent causing the infection originated from the environment of employment, this case is recordable.
6.1.11 Injury and Illness Dates:
a.
A roustabout assisted in loading sections of a dismantled drilling platform onto a company truck.
Sections weighed up to 200 pounds each and were awkward and hard to handle. That night, the roustabout complained of feeling sore to several others on his crew. They advised him to go home and soak in a hot tub of water.
Two days later this same individual complained to his foreman that he was hurt.
He was sent to a physician who diagnosed the injury as a back
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strain. Subsequently, the roustabout lost three complete days work due to medical treatment.
ihis case would be recordable as of the day of the truck loading. The three WDL would be entered on the OSHA 100 log.
b.
An employee worked for company XYZ for several years as an insulator. The job often required the handling of asbestos materials, until the employee eventually developed asbestosis and was transferred to a different job. This case should be entered in the OSHA 100 log with the date of diagnosis of the illness as the date entered on the log. WDL and/or WDLR is to be entered as appropriate, but ceases immediately on the date of the transfer.
6.1.12 Precautions and Observations:
a.
An electrician punctured his finger with a No. 16 gauge wire. The nurse, with the physi-cian's approval, administered a tetanus toxoid shot and released the patient.
No further treatment was required. This would be consi-dered "first aid" and no OSHA 100 log entry I
would be made.
b.
Investigation following a minor fire revealed that pyroxylin plastic has been involved. The fire officer consulted the authorized physician f
who directed that two firemen be hospitalized immediately for observation. Tt j were released the following day when no pulmonary edema symptoms developed.
No medical treatment was administered and there were no restrictions.
No OSHA 100 log entry should be made.
c.
During a plant incident, an employee received an accidental internal deposition of plutonium beyond the limits specified in ERDAM 0524.
l Medical examination did not detect any symptoms or illness, nor was there any evidence of biolo-gical damage. DTPA treatment was administered to reduce the possibility of effects developing from the exposure. The employee lost one day from work due to the medical treatments.
Although there was no clinically-diagnosed injury or ill-ness, an " abnormal physical condition" is consi-dered to exist when a specified, clearly-D established limit (such as in ERDAM 0524) is exceeded. This would not normally apply to more stringent, locally-imposed, administrative limits. The fact that an " abnormal physical condition" existed makes this case an illness l
(due to poisoning); this is the overriding concern despite the fact that the treatment could be considered as a prescription drug administered only as a preventive medicine.
This would be recorded as a lost workday case due to occupational illness.
6.1.13 Slips, Crutches, Wheelchairs, Etc.:
a.
A warehouse clerk, who was confined to a wheel-chair, was upset when a pallet of material being i
handled by a fork truck hooked the corner of her chair.
In the upset, the clerk's hand was broken
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when it was caught in the chair.
This is a work-I related injury arising from the environment of employment and should be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
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I b.
An accountant, who used crutches because of an amputated leg, s';pped, fell, and injured his hip. Three days of work loss resulted.
Inves-tigation at the time of injury revealed that his crutches had good sof t rubber tips, but the left one had a metal paper clip embedded across it.
Marks on the floor and the employee's statement indicated that the fall occurred when the left crutch slipped. This should be entered in the OSHA 100 log with three WDL.
c.
A senior secretary was confined to a wheelchair due to osteoporosis. While going down the hall to an adjoining office, her arm suddenly collapsed when she applied pressure to the chair wheel.
l Medical diagnosis revealed a comminuted fracture.
The disease complicated her recovery so the employee was unable to resume work.
Investiga-tion revealed no work-related causes for the accident. The injury was determined to have arisen solely from the physical deficiency and should not be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
6.2 Time / Place 6.2.1 Lunch, Coffee Breaks:
a.
During a midmorning authorized coffee break, a draf tsman walked across the street from his office building to purchase coffee for himself and fellow employees, to take back to the office.
The counterman, in setting the cup in front of the draftsman, accidentally tipped the hot coffee into the draftsman's lap. The resulting burn caused the draftsman to lose two days from work.
This injury would be recordable.
b.
An employee of company "A" chose to eat his lunch on the lawn surrounding the company's new building, despite the fact that employees had been instructed to use only the designated lunchroom if they were going to eat on the employer's premises. A barrel rolled from a passing truck, striking the employee and l
rendering him unconscious.
The truck belonged l
to a construction contractor working several blocks from the point of the injury. This case would not be recordable since the employee l
f was eating in an unauthorized location. The injury (loss of consciousness) occurred on the employer's property, however, the employer had no control over the source of the injury i
and had specifically restricted employees from eating in areas other than the lunchroom.
6.2.2 Medical Attention, Travel For:
In addition to the basic rules for entries in the OSHA 100 log, the following interpretation shall apply: A complete workday lost for travel to consult a specialist regarding a work-related injury constitutes treat-ment and is recordable.
a.
A surveyor working at a remote location lost a complete day of work while traveling to see a physician about medical treatment for a record-able injury received on the job the previous day.
One WDL is charged for the travel time, plus any additional WDL or WDLR resulting from nontravel causes.
If, in this same case, the surveyor had spent I
only half a day in travel and worked the rest of the day, that day would be recordable as one WDLR.
b.
An employee woiking in a field assignment received an injury that proved to require only first aid. While enroute to the first aid attendant for treatment, the employee was involved in an automobile accident and received several injuries requiring medical treatment.
Those injuries incurred in the automobile accident shall be considered as work-related.
6.2.3 Medical Tests, Time Waiting For:
a.
An employee on a field assignment was involved in an accident that caused bumps, bruises, possible internal injuries, and lacerations.
He was treated for first aid by the field attendant and sent to the designated physi-cian, who was located about fifty miles from the field work. The physician was not avail-able when the injured employee arrived, so af ter the wait, the nurse examined the lacera-tions and suggested the employee return the j
following morning. The next day, the physician l
I sutured two of the lacerations, made tests, and asked the employee to return the next morning for a check before he was released for work.
Following the next morning's checkup, the employee returned to work that same day without restriction. This case is recordable and the full day lost from work is charged as one WDL, while the partial day is not recorded since it was only a checkup that revealed no problems and did not involve medical treatment.
b.
A welder was assigned to fuse together air voids in lead shielding. Af ter a week of this work, he felt sick and reported to the first aid attendant. Lead fume poisoning was suspected, so he was referred to the local hospital for evaluation. The hospital lacked suitable facilities for making lead analysis and sent the employee's blood samples to an out-of-town labora tory. The employee stayed at home awaiting results of the tests, which did not arrive until i
the third day after exposure. The results of l
the tests indicated that there was no basis for I
a recordable injury or illness due to lead fume
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exposure.
Industrial hygiene tests of the l
worker's environment, including simulation of the welder's activity, also had negative results.
The employer found no other occupational reasons for the employee to have felt bad. This case would not be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
6.2.4 Nonwork/Nonplant Activities, Recreation, Etc. :
I a.
Company employees organized a bowling league and played a regular series of scheduled matches.
The company matched participants' money to create tournament prizes.
Employees participated while off duty. Team uniforms were selected and pur-chased by the group.
Any injuries or illnesses during the bowling, or during travel to or from the bowling alley, would not be considered work-related and no log entries should be made.
b.
An employee returned to the work premises after hours to participate in an employee-organized softball game. After the game, the employee fell and broke an ankle in the company-controlled parking lot while returning to his car.
The injury is not w*k-related.
It the employee had simply stayed after work for the softball game without leaving the work premises in between, then the same parking lot injury would be work-related.
(He would have been exposed to the same risk had he left for the parking lot immediately after work.) However, an injury occurring during or due to the softball game would not be work-related (unless the game had been sanctioned by the company and_ held during normal working hours).
c.
As a conditon of employment, an employee is required to live on the work premises. An injury occurring during nonworking hours but on the work premises would be considered work-related.
For convenience or personal reasons, an employee elects to live on the work premises and is per-mitted to do so by the employer.
Since the employee is not required to live on the premises, an injury occurring during his personal time at his residence would not be work-related.
6.2.5 Out-of-Plant - Personal:
a.
An injury to an employee during a casual departure from the specific duties of his work-related acti-vities shall be recordable; however, any injury resulting during a gross departure from the expected work-related activity will not be recorded. The employer shall be responsible for determining the degree of departure from the expected work-related acti vi ty.
b.
Any injury or illness resulting from a civic duty performed by an employee shall not be recordable,.
unless the activity producing the injury or illness was specifically authorized or directed by the employer.
6.2.6 Robbery Confrontations, Other Emergency Actions: An employee, shot while attempting to prevent a holdup at his place of work, lost five days from work. When he returned to work, he was placed on limited work status until his injured arm healed sufficiently to permit him to resume normal work. This limited work status lasted for 15 workdays. The injury would be recordable as of the day the employee was shot. The five WDL would be entered appropriately on the log. The 15 WDLR would
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begin immediately following his return to work, due to the limited work status. -
6.2.7 Shower-Washrooms
A shower room accident shall be recordable if it is determined that the employee's work was such that it would be expected to cleanse himself before leaving the workplace, or at interims during the working period; or if the employee's work exposed him to toxic or irritating substances which must be washed off before going home or to lunch, or perhaps intermittently during the working period.
6.2.3 Strikes
a.
While the equipment operators were on strike, a plant engineer, who normally worked straight weekdays, was assigned on a Friday to move a company repair truck to a field location where 1
it was to be used to make emergency repairs.
While enroute, the truck was stopped by unknown individuals and the engineer was severely beaten.
l The engineer spent three days in the hospital, returning to work on a Tuesday. The engineer l
would be considered on duty, although not on his regular job, at the time of the incident.
l The injuries would be recordable.
The engineer was acting in the interest of his employer.
l The case would be recorded and one WDL shown.
b.
During a craftworker strike, an off-duty exempt employee who had continued to work was involved in a fight.
Investigation revealed that the engineer was using a truck that he had borrowed from a friend. Unknown individuals accosted him and in the ensuing fight, he was injured.
It was determined that his work during the strike action did not instigate the fight. There is no basis to consider his injuries work-related, and no OSHA 100 log entry should be made.
6.2.9 Travel Status:
a.
A manager attending an authorized convention was seriously injured in a fall while taking a shower in his hotel room. This injury would be considered work-related and should be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
b.
During authorized travel by an engineer, the motel where he was staying was involved in a major fire.
He was asleep and received first and second degree burns before he could escape. This case would be work-related and should be entered in the OSHA
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100 log.
c.
A buyer on an authorized trip was using a rental car. Af ter his business was complete one af ter-j noon, he decided to drive to a nearby city to visit e personal friend.
During his return, late that night, he was involved in a vehicle accident and was injured. This is not a part of authorized travel and should not be entered in the OSHA 100 log.
NOTE:
In many cases such as this, the employer may be responsible for related costs, such as workmen's compensation, liability, etc., depending upon the specific circum-
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stances of travel.
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Normal travel between the employee's home and his l
place of employment does not qualify as being "in the interest of the employer".
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7.0 REFERENCES
(1)
ERDAM 0502 and Appendix, " Notification, Investigation, and Reporting of Occurrences", September 15, 1975 (2)
OSHA No.100 Log of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses,
" Instructions and Definitions" (3)
U. S. DOL (BLS) Report 412, "What Every Employer Needs to Know About OSHA Recordkeeping", 1973 (4) 29 CFR 1904, " Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses" (5)
U. S. D0L (OSHA), "Recordkeeping Requirements" (6)
U. S. D0L (OSHA), "Recordkeeping and Reporting Guidelines for Federal Agencies" (7)
National Safety Council, " Injury-Illness Reporting Requirements",
1971 I
(8)
ERDAM 0506, " Occupational Safety and Health Program for ERDA Contractor Employees" (to be issued) i I a
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Other SSDC Publications in This Series SSDC-1 Occupancy-Use Readiness Manual SSDC-2 Human Factors in Design SSDC-3 A Contractor Guide to Advance Preparation for Accident Investigation SSDC-4
!! ORT User's Manual SSDC-5 Reported Significant Observation (RS0) Studies SSDC-f, Training as Related to Behavioral Change D
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PQOR' ORIGINAL l
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