Report a Work-Connected Fatality or Serious Injury

Overview

In the event of a work-related fatality or an injury serious enough to require inpatient hospitalization, California law requires that the employer notify the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety (Cal/OSHA) immediately.

Necessary actions

If you are aware of a work-connected fatality or serious injury (as described below), please contact the following resources to facilitate reporting to Cal/OSHA:

  • Campus Employees: Environmental Health and Safety: 415-476-1300
    • After hours dial 911 (by campus phone) or 415-476-1414 (by cell phone)
  • Health Employees: Health Safety Office: 415-885-3538

California Code of Regulations Title 8 Section 342

(a) Every employer shall report immediately to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health any serious injury or illness, or death, of an employee occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment. The report shall be made by telephone or through a specified online mechanism established by the Division for this purpose.

Immediately means as soon as practically possible but not longer than 8 hours after the employer knows or with diligent inquiry would have known of the death or serious injury or illness. If the employer can demonstrate that exigent circumstances exist, the time frame for the report may be made no longer than 24 hours after the incident.

Serious injury or illness is defined in section 330(h), Title 8, California Code of Regulations. “Serious injury or illness” means any injury or illness occurring in a place of employment or in connection with any employment that requires inpatient hospitalization for other than medical observation or diagnostic testing, or in which an employee suffers an amputation, the loss of an eye, or any serious degree of permanent disfigurement, but does not include any injury or illness or death caused by an accident on a public street or highway unless the accident occurred in a construction zone.

(b) Whenever a state, county, or local fire or police agency is called to an accident involving an employee covered by this part in which a serious injury, or illness, or death occurs, the nearest office of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health shall be notified by telephone immediately by the responding agency and employer.

(c) When making such report, whether by telephone or telegraph, the reporting party shall include the following information, if available:

  1. Time and date of accident. 
  2. Employer’s name, address and telephone number. 
  3. Name and job title, or badge number of person reporting the accident. 
  4. Address of site of accident or event. 
  5. Name of person to contact at site of accident. 
  6. Name and address of injured employee(s). 
  7. Nature of injury. 
  8. Location where injured employee(s) was (were) moved to. 
  9. List and identity of other law enforcement agencies present at the site of accident.
  10. Description of accident and whether the accident scene or instrumentality has been altered.

(d) The reporting in (a) and (b) above, is in addition to any other reports required by law and may be made by any person authorized by the employers, state, county, or local agencies to make such reports.

Any employer who fails to timely report an employee’s injury or illness, or death, in violation of section 342(a) of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, shall be assessed a minimum penalty of $5,000. 

All employee injuries as described above will also be reported to either:

Campus Disability Management Services

  • Phone: 415-476-2621
  • Fax: 415-353-3232

Health Workers’ Compensation Department

  • Phone: 415-353-7328
  • Fax: 415-353-3511

Cal/OSHA operates under the authority of Fed/OSHA. CALIFORNIA EMPLOYERS MUST FOLLOW Cal/OSHA REGULATIONS.