The Short Answer: When a worker is injured on the jobsite, seek medical help, preserve the scene, notify OSHA within 8-24 hours, depending on the injury severity and record the incident using official OSHA forms. These steps aren’t just good practice—they’re federal requirements that protect your workers and your business.

Even the best-prepared construction teams face unexpected accidents. Even with proper safety gear, training, and protocols, workplace injuries can still occur. When they do, the initial response is critical. The steps taken in those first moments influence the employee’s recovery, compliance with legal obligations, and the ability to prevent future incidents. OSHA requires specific actions following an injury, and failing to meet these requirements can result in significant penalties. Being prepared with a clear plan ensures a faster, more effective response when an incident occurs.

Step 1: Get Medical Help and Preserve the Scene

Medical Help Comes First

When a worker gets injured, your immediate priority is getting them the help they need. This means having protocols in place before accidents happen. Your team should know exactly who to call, what first aid steps to take and how to contact emergency services quickly.

Every jobsite should have workers trained in basic first aid and emergency response. Whether that’s calling 911, contacting your company’s emergency services, or providing immediate care yourself, having a clear plan saves precious time when someone is hurt.

Preserve the Scene for Investigation

After medical professionals have been notified, you need to preserve the accident scene. This isn’t about assigning blame—it’s about gathering evidence that can prevent future accidents and keep other workers safe.

OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904.39(b)(4) states: “If a fatality occurs, the employer must preserve the scene of the incident (except to the extent necessary to rescue the injured persons or to prevent further incidents) until an OSHA investigation is completed.”

Here’s what preserving the scene means:

• Don’t move equipment or materials unless they pose additional safety risks
• Take photos if possible
• Keep other workers away from the area
• Document what you see before anything changes

Remember, this isn’t a crime scene investigation. You’re collecting information that helps everyone understand what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again.

Step 2: Notify OSHA Promptly

Employers must adhere to OSHA’s strict reporting deadlines for workplace injuries, as failing to do so can lead to substantial penalties.

Reporting Deadlines

Fatalities: You have up to 8 hours to report any workplace death to OSHA.

Serious Injuries: You have up to 24 hours to report:

• Hospitalizations
• Amputations
• Loss of an eye
• Other serious injuries requiring immediate medical attention

How to Report to OSHA

You have three ways to report an incident:

• Call OSHA at their reporting hotline
• Report online through their website
• Visit your local OSHA office in person

The regulation 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(1) requires you to report these incidents within the time limits. Don’t wait—report as soon as you have the basic details, even if you don’t have all the information yet.

Step 3: Record the Injury

Not every workplace injury needs to be recorded, but many do. OSHA has specific criteria for what counts as a “recordable event.”

What Injuries Must Be Recorded

According to CFR 1904.4(a), you must record an injury or illness if it results in:

• Death
• Days away from work
• Restricted work or job transfer
• Medical treatment beyond basic first aid
• Loss of consciousness
• Significant diagnosed injury or illness

OSHA Forms and Record Keeping

OSHA has official forms to document recordable injuries. These forms collect important details about what happened, when it occurred and how it affected the worker.

Important: You must keep these records for 5 years from the date of the injury. OSHA can request to see them during inspections or investigations.

Know Your Local Requirements

OSHA has federal requirements, and your company policies or state safety regulations might have additional requirements. Some states have their own occupational safety programs that go beyond federal standards. 

Remember: Always check what applies to your specific situation and location.

OSHA regulation 1926.502(k)(10) requires that if an employee falls or experiences a serious incident, you must investigate what happened and determine if your fall protection plan needs to be altered. This might mean updating procedures, adding training, or implementing new safety practices.

Report Injuries for Safer Jobsites

Following these three steps—getting medical help while preserving the scene, notifying OSHA within the required timeframes and properly recording the incident—isn’t just about compliance. It’s about protecting your workers and learning from accidents to prevent them in the future.

You can’t prevent every injury from happening, but having a solid plan and understanding what’s required makes all the difference when accidents occur.

Trust Malta Dynamics

At Malta Dynamics, we build safety solutions that work where real injuries happen—on active jobsites. Our high-quality safety equipment such as  harnesses, lanyards and fall protection systems, is manufactured and engineered with input from field professionals, rigorously tested to meet ANSI and OSHA standards and trusted by crews in construction, manufacturing, utilities and more.

We offer:

• Full-body harnesses designed for comfort and long wear
• Personal fall arrest systems including lanyards, SRLs and lifelines
• Anchors and connectors for steel, concrete, wood, or rooftop work
• Mobile fall protection for edge and height safety
• Safety training resources to keep teams informed and compliant

Whether you’re overseeing a large crew or working solo, Malta Dynamics gives you the tools to prevent injuries and protect what matters most.

Ready to improve your jobsite safety protocols? Visit Malta Dynamics to learn more about our fall protection equipment and safety training resources. Our team is here to help. Give our sales team a call at 855-781-9917 for more information or assistance with safety protocols.