Clarification
Clarification
The July issue of Occupational Health Management included an article on page 80 about how to determine if a workplace injury or illness is recordable under guidelines from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Much of the article dealt with injuries, but we should have mentioned that all illnesses are recordable if they are work-related, regardless of all the other factors mentioned in the article. For instance, tendinitis would be recordable as an occupational illness even though it was not related to a specific injury and was treated only with first aid.
Also, the article states that an event is recordable if "the injury impairs bodily function, such as normal use of the senses or limbs." Actually, it is more accurate to say that the event is recordable if the injury impairs bodily function in a way that prevents the worker from performing essential functions of the job.
So if a business executive has an ankle injury that does not impair his job performance, that would not necessarily qualify as a recordable injury.
For more guidance on OSHA recording requirements, consult the OSHA Blue Book, available from your regional OSHA office. n
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