The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s revised illness and injury regulations took effect January 1 for employers in states with federal OSHA enforcement. States with their own OSHA enforcement programs (including North Carolina and South Carolina) have until January 1, 2016 to comply with the new reporting requirements.

The new rules make a number of changes to the current reporting system. Under previous regulations, employers only had to report non-fatal hospitalizations of three or more employees. The new requirement mandates reporting within 24 hours for any workplace illness or injury that results in a hospital admittance. Fatalities must still be reported within eight hours, while amputations or loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours.

The OSHA regulations also change the categories of businesses required to maintain workplace illness and injury logs. For the first time, automobile dealerships, elder and disabled persons care organizations and other industries must keep OSHA 300 logs. OSHA eliminated the recordkeeping requirement for some businesses deemed to be low risk, including convenience stations and wireless telecommunications carriers (not including tower construction and maintenance).

OSHA intends to expand online availability of illness and injury reports submitted to the agency. As with many new and expanded regulations, OSHA indicated its intent to work with businesses making the transition to these new requirements, instead of immediately citing employers for non-compliance.