Are COVID-19 cases recordable?

While OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping requirements exempt recording of the common cold and flu, COVID-19 is a recordable illness when a worker is infected on the job. This applies in all industries covered by the recordkeeping rule — not just healthcare. OSHA tells J. J. Keller and Associates, Inc., that the “discernable cause” of a work-related COVID-19 exposure in a non-healthcare setting could be simply “working near someone who carried the virus.” This means if you have a worker who likely contracted COVID-19 because of coming into contact with an infected person, the case would be work-related, and would be recordable if there is medical treatment beyond first aid, lost time, or restricted work.