The Definition of OSHA Form 301 Incident Report

Definition of OSHA Form 301 Incident Report

OSHA Form 301, the Injury and Illness Incident Report, is the detailed record employers complete for each recordable work-related injury or illness entered on the OSHA 300 Log. It captures information about the employee, the treating health care provider, and the case itself, including what the employee was doing just before the incident, what happened, the injury or illness and the object or substance that directly harmed the employee.

Key Facts About OSHA Form 301

• It must be completed within 7 calendar days of the employer learning of a recordable case.
• An equivalent form, such as a workers' compensation first report of injury, can be used if it contains all the same information.
• Forms must be kept for five years after the end of the year they cover.
• Establishments with 100 or more employees in designated high-hazard industries must submit 300 and 301 data electronically each year by March 2.

Example of OSHA Form 301

After a maintenance technician strains his back lifting a motor and is placed on restricted duty, the safety manager records the case on the 300 Log and completes a Form 301 describing the task, the lift, the injury and the clinic that treated him.

How to Complete Form 301 Well

1. Gather facts from the employee, witnesses and the supervisor quickly.
2. Describe the task and the sequence of events in specific, factual terms.
3. Identify the body part, the nature of the injury and the object or substance involved.
4. Keep the form consistent with the 300 Log entry.
5. Use the details to drive the incident investigation and corrective actions.

Related Terms

• OSHA 300 Log
• Annual Summary (OSHA Form 300A)
• Recordable Incident
• Accident Investigation

Frequently Asked Questions: OSHA Form 301

Is Form 301 the same as an incident investigation report?

No. Form 301 records basic facts for OSHA recordkeeping. A full investigation goes further to find root causes and corrective actions, although the two often share information.

Do I send Form 301 to OSHA?

Only if your establishment is required to submit 300 and 301 data electronically, or if OSHA requests it during an inspection. Otherwise it is kept on file.

Can a workers' compensation form replace Form 301?

Yes, as long as it includes every data element on Form 301, or the missing information is added to it.