Recordkeeping (29 CFR Part 1904, all covered employers)

OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1904.29

29 CFR 1904.29 specifies the forms of the recordkeeping system: employers must use the OSHA 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, the 300-A annual summary, and the 301 Incident Report, or equivalent forms. It sets a 7-calendar-day deadline to enter a recordable case and creates "privacy concern case" rules that keep certain employees' names off the shared Log.

29 CFR 1904.29 at a glance

Three forms: 300 Log, 300-A annual summary, 301 Incident Report (or equivalents)
Entry deadline: Within 7 calendar days of learning a case is recordable
Privacy cases: Certain cases go on the Log without the employee's name (kept on a separate list)
Equivalents allowed: Other forms are fine if they contain the same information and are readable
Max penalty (2026): Other-than-serious $16,550; willful $165,514
The #1 confusion: The 300, 300-A, and 301 are three different forms with three different jobs

What 29 CFR 1904.29 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1904.29 establishes the paperwork of OSHA recordkeeping. Covered employers must record each recordable injury and illness on three forms (the OSHA 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), the OSHA 300-A (the year-end Summary), and the OSHA 301 (Incident Report)) or on equivalent forms that contain the same information and are as readable and understandable.

The rule sets timing and content rules. A recordable case must be entered on the 300 Log and a 301 (or equivalent) completed within seven (7) calendar days of receiving information that the case is recordable. The 300 Log records each case in summary form; the 301 captures the details of the individual case; the 300-A totals the year's cases for posting.

1904.29 also creates "privacy concern cases", a closed list: injuries or illnesses to intimate body parts or the reproductive system, sexual assaults, mental illnesses, HIV infection, hepatitis or tuberculosis, needlestick injuries and cuts from sharp objects contaminated with another person's blood or other potentially infectious material, and any other illness (not an injury) where the employee voluntarily asks that their name be withheld. For these, the employer enters "privacy case" instead of the name on the 300 Log and keeps a separate, confidential list linking the case to the name. This protects employee privacy while preserving the data.

The regulatory text

“You must use OSHA 300, 300-A, and 301 forms, or equivalent forms, for recordable injuries and illnesses.”

29 CFR 1904.29(a)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1904.29

Employers must use the OSHA 300, 300-A, and 301 forms or equivalents (1904.29(a)).
The 300 is the Log, the 300-A the annual summary, the 301 the incident report.
A recordable case must be entered within 7 calendar days of learning it is recordable.
Equivalent forms are allowed if they hold the same information and are readable.
Privacy-concern cases go on the Log without the employee's name.
A separate confidential list links privacy cases to the withheld names.
The 301 (or an equivalent such as a workers'-comp first report) captures per-case detail.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1904.29 applies to

Regulatory framework: Recordkeeping (29 CFR Part 1904, all covered employers)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1904.29
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1904.29

#	Employer obligation
1	Use OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301 — or equivalent forms with the same information — for each establishment
2	Enter each recordable case within 7 calendar days of learning about it
3	Withhold the employee's name on privacy concern cases (1904.29(b)(6)–(9))
4	Related duties under other Part 1904 sections: post the 300A Feb 1 – Apr 30 (1904.32), retain records 5 years (1904.33), give employees access (1904.35)

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1904.29. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common OSHA Injury Forms violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1904.29 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Not completing a 301 Incident Report (or equivalent) for each case (1904.29(b)(2)).
Missing the 7-calendar-day entry deadline (1904.29(b)(3)).
Putting a privacy-concern employee's name on the shared 300 Log (1904.29(b)(7)).
Using forms that omit required information or are not readable (1904.29(b)(4)).
Not keeping the separate confidential list for privacy cases (1904.29(b)(9)).

The 300, 300-A, and 301 are three different forms: one does not substitute for another

Employers sometimes keep a 300 Log and assume that is the whole obligation. It is not. 1904.29 requires three forms with three roles: the 300 is the running LOG of all cases; the 301 is a per-incident REPORT capturing the details of each individual case; and the 300-A is the year-end SUMMARY that gets certified and posted. An equivalent 301 is common, many employers use the workers'-comp first-report-of-injury if it contains the same information, but there must be a 301-equivalent for every case, not just Log entries. Skipping the 301s, or treating the Log as the summary, are both violations.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks that the three forms exist and are filled in correctly, that recordable cases were entered within 7 days, and that privacy-concern cases are handled properly (name withheld, kept on a separate confidential list). Missing 301 reports and late or incomplete entries are common findings.

Example: how a violation is cited

An employer keeps a 300 Log but has no 301 Incident Reports for its cases and enters injuries weeks late. OSHA cites 1904.29 for the missing equivalent 301 forms and the blown 7-day deadline, typically as other-than-serious, up to $16,550 per violation.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

OSHA Injury Forms compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1904.29. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Maintain all three forms: the 300 Log, the 301 (or equivalent) per case, and the year-end 300-A.
Enter each recordable case within 7 calendar days of learning it is recordable.
Identify privacy-concern cases and enter "privacy case" instead of the name on the Log.
Keep a separate, confidential list linking privacy cases to employee names.
Ensure any equivalent forms contain all required information and are legible.
Keep the forms available for the retention period (§1904.33) and for employee and OSHA access.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1904.29

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Form and deadline failures are cited as other-than-serious, up to $16,550 each; willful violations reach $165,514.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for OSHA Injury Forms compliance

The three forms are how injury data is captured, summarized, and preserved. The 300 Log is the running record, the 301 captures the detail of each case, and the 300-A is the posted summary employees and OSHA see. Using the wrong forms, missing the 7-day deadline, or exposing a privacy-case employee's name are all recordkeeping failures, and the forms feed the electronic submission and rate calculations everything else relies on.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1904.29

OSHA 300A Auto-Filler OSHA 301 Incident Form OSHA Recordability Decision Tree

OSHA Injury Forms penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1904.29.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1904.29

What are the OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 forms?

Under 1904.29, they are the three recordkeeping forms. The OSHA 300 is the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (a running list of cases); the OSHA 301 is the Incident Report (details of each individual case); and the OSHA 300-A is the year-end Summary that is certified and posted. Employers may use equivalent forms that contain the same information.

How long do I have to record an injury?

Seven calendar days. Under 1904.29(b)(3), you must enter each recordable case on the 300 Log and complete a 301 Incident Report (or equivalent) within 7 calendar days of receiving information that the case is recordable. Waiting until year-end to enter cases violates the deadline.

Can I use my workers' comp form instead of the 301?

Yes, if it is equivalent. 1904.29 allows an equivalent to the 301 Incident Report, such as an insurance or workers'-compensation first report of injury, as long as it contains all the same information as the 301 and is as readable and understandable. You still need one for every recordable case.

What is a privacy concern case?

It is a case where OSHA requires the employee's name to be left off the shared 300 Log to protect privacy, for example, injuries or illnesses to intimate body parts, sexual assaults, mental illnesses, HIV infection, hepatitis or tuberculosis, contaminated needlesticks and sharps cuts, or another illness (not an injury) where the employee voluntarily requests it. The list is closed (1904.29(b)(8)). You enter 'privacy case' in place of the name and keep a separate confidential list linking the case to the name.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1904.29

The 300/300-A/301 forms replaced the single OSHA 200 Log when the recordkeeping rule took effect January 1, 2002 (66 FR 5916), splitting the running log, the per-incident report, and the annual summary into distinct forms and adding the privacy-concern-case protections. The 7-day entry deadline dates from the same rule.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1904.29, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Recordable Injury National Emphasis Program Job Hazard Analysis Industrial Hygiene

Related guides & articles

OSHA Forms 300, 300A & 301 Recordkeeping Guide OSHA Recordkeeping: When Is an Injury Recordable?

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.1020

Exposure & Medical Records

29 CFR 1904.4

Recording Criteria

29 CFR 1904.5

Work-Relatedness

29 CFR 1904.7

General Recording Criteria

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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