• Employers must report work-related fatalities to OSHA within eight hours.
• Employers must report work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye within 24 hours.

Within eight hours after the death of any employee as a result of a work-related incident, an employer must report the fatality to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Within 24 hours after the inpatient hospitalization of one or more employees or an employee’s amputation or an employee’s loss of an eye, as a result of a work-related incident, an employer must report the inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA.

Note that state-plan states may have more restrictive reporting requirements.

Reporting the work-related fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be done using one of the following methods:

• By telephone or in person to the OSHA Area Office that is nearest to the site of the incident.
• By telephone to the OSHA toll-free central telephone number, 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742).
• By electronic submission using the reporting application located on OSHA’s public website at www.osha.gov/report.

This report may not be left as a voice message to the Area Office. If the Area Office is closed, employers must report the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye using either the 800 number or the reporting application located on OSHA’s public website.

An employer must give OSHA the following information for each fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye:

• The establishment name;
• The location of the work-related incident;
• The time of the work-related incident;
• The type of reportable event (i.e., fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye);
• The number of employees who suffered a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye;
• The names of the employees who suffered a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye;
• The employer’s contact person and the contact’s phone number; and
• A brief description of the work-related incident.

Are deaths that occur more than 30 days after the incident reportable to OSHA?

Employers must only report a fatality to OSHA if the fatality occurs within 30 days of the work-related incident. However, the fatality must be recorded on the employer’s OSHA injury and illness records, if the employer is required to keep such records.

State plan states may still require reporting if a death occurs more than 30 days after the incident. For example, California did not adopt the 30-day limit.

Are hospitalizations, amputations, or the loss of an eye reportable to OSHA if they occur more than 24 hours after the incident?

For an inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye, an employer must only report the event to OSHA if it occurs within 24 hours of the work-related incident. However, the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be recorded on the employer’s OSHA injury and illness records, if the employer is required to keep such records.

For example, if an employee injured a knee and was scheduled for surgery two weeks later involving hospitalization, that incident would not have to be reported to OSHA because the hospitalization occurred more than 24 hours after the workplace incident.

State plan states may still require reporting if one of these outcomes occurs more than 24 hours after the workplace incident.

What if an incident occurs in a work zone?

If a motor vehicle accident occurs in a construction work zone and results in injury, the employer must report the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. If a motor vehicle accident occurs on a public street or highway, but not in a construction work zone, the employer does not have to report the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA. However, the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be recorded on the employer’s OSHA injury and illness records, if the employer is required to keep such records.

OSHA defines a construction work zone as an area of a street or highway where construction activities are taking place, and is typically marked by signs, channeling devices, barriers, pavement markings and/or work vehicles. The work zone extend from the first warning sign or rotating/strobe lights on a vehicle to the “END ROAD WORK” sign or the last temporary traffic control device.

What if an incident occurs on commercial or public transportation system?

An employer does not have to report the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye to OSHA if it occurred on a commercial or public transportation system (e.g., airplane, train, subway, or bus). However, the fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be recorded on the employer’s OSHA injury and illness records, if the employer is required to keep such records.

What is the definition of an amputation?

An amputation is the traumatic loss of a limb or other external body part. Amputations include a part, such as a limb or appendage, that has been severed, cut off, amputated (either completely or partially); fingertip amputations with or without bone loss; medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage; and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. Amputations do not include avulsions, enucleations, deglovings, scalpings, severed ears, or broken or chipped teeth.

What is a reportable hospitalization?

OSHA defines inpatient hospitalization as a formal admission to the inpatient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment. For example, going to the emergency room for sutures is outpatient treatment, not an inpatient hospitalization.

Employers do not have to report a hospitalization that involves only observation or diagnostic testing. They must only report to OSHA each inpatient hospitalization that involves care or treatment.

What is a reportable loss of sight?

Loss of sight without the physical removal of the eye is not a reportable event under the requirements in Section 1904.39. However, a case involving loss of sight that results in the inpatient hospitalization of the worker within 24 hours of the work-related incident is reportable.

What is a reportable heart attack?

Employers must report a fatality or inpatient hospitalization due to a work-related heart attack. The local OSHA Office director will decide whether to investigate a heart attack event, depending on the circumstances.

When employers report a severe injury or fatality, do they still need to record the case on their OSHA Logs?

The fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye must be recorded on the employer’s OSHA injury and illness records, if the employer is required to keep such records.

What about a COVID-19 fatality or hospitalization?

According to a March 31, 2026, enforcement memo, “Updated Enforcement Policy for Recording and Reporting of COVID-19 Cases,” until further notice, OSHA is exercising its enforcement discretion to NOT cite employers for violations of 29 CFR 1904 for failure to report COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations. The agency explains this approach brings the enforcement policy for COVID-19 cases in line with OSHA's handling of common cold and flu cases.