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Reporting Severe Injuries to OSHA: Supervisor and Safety Coordinator

For the supervisor or safety coordinator who must notify OSHA: recognize a reportable event, meet the 8-hour and 24-hour deadlines, report by an accepted method with the required information, and apply the exceptions correctly.

Based on OSHA 29 CFR 1904.39, reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye · about 3 min read

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What to report, and how fast

Four events, two deadlines

FatalityReport within 8 hours after the death of any employee from a work-related incident.

In-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eyeReport within 24 hours after it happens as a result of a work-related incident.

What the words mean

In-patient hospitalization: a formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment. A stay for only observation or diagnostic testing does not have to be reported.
Amputation: the traumatic loss of a limb or other external body part. This includes a part severed completely or partially, fingertip amputations with or without bone loss, medical amputations from irreparable damage, and parts that were later reattached. It does not include avulsions, enucleations, deglovings, scalpings, severed ears, or broken or chipped teeth.

Reference: 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(1) · 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(9) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(10) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(11)

How to report

Accepted methods and what to tell OSHA

Use one of these three methods

By telephone or in person to the OSHA Area Office nearest the site of the incident
By telephone to OSHA's toll-free number, 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742)
Online, using the reporting application on www.osha.gov

If the Area Office is closed, do not leave a voicemail, fax or email. Use the 800 number or the online application.

You must give OSHA this information for each event

Establishment name
Location and time of the incident
Type of event: fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye
Number and names of the employees affected
Your contact person and their phone number
A brief description of the incident

Reference: 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(3) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(1) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(2)

Exceptions and timing

When the report is not required, and when the clock starts

Not reported to OSHA (but still recorded if you keep records)

A motor vehicle accident on a public street or highway, unless it happened in a construction work zone. In a work zone, you must report.
An event on a commercial or public transportation system, such as an airplane, train, subway or bus.

In both cases the event must still be recorded on your OSHA injury and illness records, if you are required to keep them.

Heart attacks

A work-related fatality or in-patient hospitalization caused by a heart attack must be reported. The Area Office director decides whether to investigate.

Timing windows

Report a fatality only if it occurs within 30 days of the work-related incident.
Report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye only if it occurs within 24 hours of the incident.

When the clock starts

If you do not learn about the event right away, or do not learn right away that it was work-related, the 8-hour and 24-hour deadlines start when it is reported to you or any of your agents, or when you or any of your agents learn it was work-related.

Reference: 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(3) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(4) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(5) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(6) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(7) · 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(8)

Need proof of training? The full course (12 min) adds practice questions, a job scenario, the final quiz and a certificate your employer can verify.

Take the course

Sources

29 CFR 1904.39

Fact-checked against the regulation text on October 09, 2026. This certificate records completion of awareness training based on OSHA 29 CFR 1904.39. It is not an OSHA card or license. Part 1904 does not set a training requirement for the person who reports to OSHA. Your employer remains responsible for reporting each fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye on time under 29 CFR 1904.39, and under 29 CFR 1904.35(b)(1) must establish a reasonable procedure for employees to report work-related injuries and illnesses promptly and accurately, inform each employee of that procedure and of the right to report, and not discharge or in any manner discriminate against any employee for reporting.

This guide explains the rule in plain words. Always read the regulation itself and your employer's site-specific procedures.