Worked OSHA Form 300 Examples, Column by Column

This page focuses on worked entries and column-level decisions. For the complete small-business recordkeeping process, use the existing OSHA 300 how-to; for a blank form, use the existing 300 log template. The walkthrough below goes column by column and then applies the rules to four illustrative cases, including a laborer on restricted duty.

The example entries below are our own illustrations, not OSHA's. OSHA's recordkeeping forms package includes its own instructions and a sample page; use it alongside this guide, and always file on the current official forms.

Before you fill in the log

Decide first that the case is recordable: work-related, a new case, and meeting a general recording criterion such as days away, restricted work or transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. Gather the facts on Form 301 or an equivalent incident report so the log entry and the incident report agree.

Column-by-column guide

• 1. Column A: Case number

  Use any unique number, such as sequential numbers each year. The same number links the 300 entry to the matching Form 301.

• 2. Column B: Employee’s name

  Enter the full name, or “privacy case” where the privacy rules apply, and keep a confidential list of those names.

• 3. Column C: Job title

  The employee’s regular job title, for example “laborer” or “electrician,” not the task they were doing when hurt.

• 4. Column D: Date of injury or onset of illness

  The date of the event, or the date symptoms of an illness first began.

• 5. Column E: Where the event occurred

  The place, such as “loading dock” or “material staging area,” rather than the whole facility name.

• 6. Column F: Describe the injury or illness

  Include the part of body affected and the object or substance that caused it, for example “strain, lower back; lifting bags of concrete mix.”

• 7. Columns G–J: Classify the case

  Check one box only, for the most serious outcome: G death, H days away from work, I job transfer or restriction, or J other recordable case.

• 8. Columns K–L: Count days

  K is the number of calendar days away from work; L is the number of days on job transfer or restriction. Count starting the day after the event. You may stop counting once the combined total of days away plus job transfer or restriction reaches 180 calendar days for that case.

• 9. Column M: Injury or illness type

  Check one: injury, skin disorder, respiratory condition, poisoning, hearing loss, or all other illnesses.

Worked example: four illustrative cases

• Case 1: stitches are medical treatment beyond first aid, and the electrician missed no time, so check J (other recordable).
• Case 2: a needlestick from a contaminated sharp is a privacy case, so the name column says “privacy case.”
• Case 3: the apprentice missed five calendar days, so check H and enter 5 in column K.
• Case 4: the laborer returned on light duty for 12 days, so check I (job transfer or restriction) and enter 12 in column L. If he later misses a full day for the same injury, update the entry to H and move the days accordingly.

Totals and the 300A summary

At the end of the year, total columns G through M and carry the totals to the Form 300A summary. Certify and post the 300A from February 1 through April 30, and submit through OSHA's Injury Tracking Application by March 2 if your establishment is covered. Use the ITA deadline checker to confirm.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Checking two boxes in columns G–J instead of choosing the most serious outcome.
• Counting only scheduled workdays instead of calendar days.
• Waiting until year end to enter cases instead of logging within seven calendar days after receiving information that a case is recordable.
• Describing the task instead of the injury and the object or substance involved.
• Forgetting to update an entry when a restricted-duty case becomes a days-away case.
• Leaving the confidential privacy-case list out of the file.

Start with a template, or automate the form

Build a paper log with our free OSHA 300 log template. If you are tired of retyping case details across Forms 300, 301, and 300A, Rivkor generates all three from the same incident record and exports ITA-compatible CSV. See OSHA recordkeeping software in action, or compare platforms in our guide to choosing EHS software for a small business.

Official sources

Use OSHA's current official recordkeeping forms and 29 CFR 1904.29 (forms), 1904.7 (general recording criteria), and 1904.29(b) (privacy cases). Last verified against OSHA public guidance: 2026-10-23. The example rows on this page are illustrative, not OSHA's sample page. This page is not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions