Enter a recordable case within seven calendar days of learning about it, and post the yearly summary from February 1 until April 30.
Key takeaways for when to enter a recordable case and when to post the summary
- Enter each recordable case on the OSHA 300 Log and 301 Incident Report within seven calendar days of receiving the information.
- Post the annual summary no later than February 1 of the following year and keep it posted until April 30.
- Save the log, the privacy case list if one exists, the annual summary, and the 301 forms for five years after the calendar year they cover.
- When a stored log is still within those five years, update it for a newly discovered recordable case or a classification change.
- Track these dates on your calendar to ensure compliance with the federal forms requirements.
You must enter each recordable injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log and 301 Incident Report within seven (7) calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred, according to Legal Information Institute. The yearly summary follows a different clock. You must post the summary no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and keep the posting in place until April 30, according to Legal Information Institute. These two dates define the active periods for your records. The entry clock starts when you learn of the case. The posting clock starts on a fixed calendar date. You track both on the same log. The entry date is specific to each incident. The posting date is the same for every year. Write both dates in your log.
When the case goes on the log, and when the summary goes on the wall
The posting action happens at the start of the following year. You do not post the summary when you enter the case. You manage these two timelines separately. The log holds the individual case entries. The wall holds the yearly summary.
Supervisors also keep a daily record, covered in Construction Daily Log Checklist for Supervisors.
How soon each page says to enter the case
This seven-day window starts the moment you receive the information that the case is recordable. The clock does not start on the day the injury happens, but on the day you learn it meets the recordable criteria.
The federal tests for a recordable case are listed in Recordable jobsite injuries: 6 Federal Tests.
The Washington State Legislature page provides the same entry requirement for its jurisdiction. It states to enter each recordable injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log and 301 Incident Report within seven calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred, according to Washington State Legislature. This rule mirrors the federal timing but applies specifically to the Washington Administrative Code. The source names the OSHA 300 Log and 301 Incident Report as the documents where the entry must be made. You do not need to wait until the end of the week or the end of the month to write the case down. The seven-day limit is a hard deadline from the moment you are informed.
The Oregon rule sets the same seven-day limit for its state-specific forms. The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division states that you must enter each recordable injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log and DCBS Form 801 or equivalent within 7 calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred, according to Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division. Note that Oregon names the DCBS Form 801 or equivalent alongside the OSHA 300 Log. This distinction matters because the form number changes by state, but the seven-day entry clock remains consistent across these sources.
Who certifies the yearly summary and when it is posted
The annual summary requires a specific signature before it goes on the wall. A company executive must certify that he or she has examined the OSHA 300 Log and that he or she reasonably believes, based on his or her knowledge of the process by which the information was recorded, that the annual summary is correct and complete, according to Legal Information Institute. This certification step is distinct from the act of entering a new case on the log.
This federal timeline establishes the standard window for displaying the previous year’s injury and illness data. The posting must remain visible for the entire period, from the start of February through the end of April.
Washington State mirrors this federal schedule in its own regulations. The employer must post the summary no later than February 1st of the year following the year covered by the records and keep the posting in place until April 30th, according to Washington State Legislature. The Washington rule uses the same start and end dates as the federal requirement.
Oregon follows the same posting window. Post the 300A Summary no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and keep it posted until April 30, according to Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division. The Oregon rule specifies the 300A Summary by name, aligning with the federal form designation. The dates remain consistent: February 1 start and April 30 end.
Public.Law provides a public copy of the Oregon rule, not a second state. It states: Post the 300A Summary no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and keep it posted until April 30, according to Public.Law. This source serves as a digital reference for the Oregon Administrative Rule. It does not create a separate set of dates or a different jurisdiction. The dates printed here match the official Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division text exactly.
A filled reference table of the log dates
The following table compares the entry, posting, and retention dates printed on the federal and Washington state pages. Each row cites the specific source that prints that date.
| Publisher | Entry Deadline | Posting Window | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Information Institute | Seven calendar days from receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred, according to Legal Information Institute. | No later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records, kept in place until April 30, according to Legal Information Institute. | Five years following the end of the calendar year that the records cover, according to Legal Information Institute. |
| Washington State Legislature | Seven calendar days from receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred, according to Washington State Legislature. | No later than February 1st of the year following the year covered by the records, kept in place until April 30th, according to Washington State Legislature. | Five years following the end of the calendar year that the records cover, according to Washington State Legislature. |
These dates apply to the specific forms and records named in each source. Check the specific page for your jurisdiction to confirm the exact form numbers and retention requirements.
How long each page says to keep the log and what gets updated
The retention clock starts after the calendar year ends, not when the injury occurs. You must save the OSHA 300 Log, the privacy case list (if one exists), the annual summary, and the OSHA 301 Incident Report forms for five (5) years following the end of the calendar year that these records cover, according to Legal Information Institute. The Washington State Legislature prints the same five-year requirement, stating that the employer must save the OSHA 300 Log, the privacy case list (if one exists), the OSHA 300-A Annual Summary, and the OSHA 301 Incident Report forms for five years following the end of the calendar year that each of these records cover, according to Washington State Legislature. The Oregon rule requires you to save the OSHA 300 Log, the privacy case list (if any), the 300A Summary form, and the DCBS Form 801 or equivalent forms for 5 years following the end of the calendar year that they cover, according to Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division.
While these records are in storage, the log is not static. The federal page specifies that during the storage period, you must update your stored OSHA 300 Logs to include newly discovered recordable injuries or illnesses and to show any changes that have occurred in the classification of previously recorded injuries and illnesses, according to Legal Information Institute. This update requirement applies to the stored logs, meaning that if a case is reclassified or a new recordable case is identified later, the original log from that year must be amended to reflect the change.
The specific forms listed for retention vary slightly by publisher. The federal source names the OSHA 300 Log, privacy case list, annual summary, and OSHA 301 Incident Report forms. The Washington source names the OSHA 300 Log, privacy case list, OSHA 300-A Annual Summary, and OSHA 301 Incident Report forms. The Oregon source names the OSHA 300 Log, privacy case list, 300A Summary form, and DCBS Form 801 or equivalent forms. Note that the Oregon rule references the DCBS Form 801, which is distinct from the federal OSHA 301 form name used in the other two sources.
Illustrative example of one case on the log
You learn of one recordable case. Count 7 calendar days from the day you learn of it. Enter the case on the 300 log before those 7 days end. Do not wait for the yearly posting date to write the case down. The summary for that calendar year goes on the wall no later than February 1 of the next year. Leave the summary posted until April 30. After that calendar year ends, keep the log for 5 years. During those 5 years, a newly found recordable case is added to the stored log. A change in classification is written on that same log. The entry date follows the day you learned of the case. The posting date stays February 1 through April 30 for every case from that year.
Write the learning date on your calendar today
Write the date you received information that the case is recordable. Count seven calendar days from that date. Enter the case on the log before those seven days end.
FAQ about the injury log clock
How soon must I enter a case on the log?
Enter the case within seven calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred. This seven-day window starts when you receive the information, not when the injury happened.
When do I post the annual summary?
Post the summary no later than February 1 of the year following the year covered by the records and keep it posted until April 30.
How long do I keep the OSHA 300 Log?
Keep it for five years following the end of the calendar year that the records cover. This five-year retention period applies to all the listed forms for the specific calendar year they document.
Who must certify the annual summary?
A company executive must certify the annual summary. The certification requires the executive to have examined the log and hold a reasonable belief in the summary's accuracy.
What do I write down if I learn of a case today?
Write today's date and the date the case must be entered on the log. You must enter information about your business at the top of the OSHA 300 Log, enter a one or two line description for each recordable injury or illness, and summarize this information on the OSHA 300-A at the end of the year, according to Legal Information Institute. Recording the date you learned of the case helps you track the seven-day entry deadline.