Incident Report
OSHA 301-equivalent incident investigation report with root cause analysis.
What this document is
This is an OSHA 301-equivalent incident investigation report that captures the details of a workplace injury or illness. It includes space for root cause analysis so contractors can identify problems and prevent future incidents.
The regulation that requires it
29 CFR 1904.29 requires employers to use OSHA Form 301 or an equivalent form to record the details of each recordable work-related injury and illness. The rule states that the incident report must be completed within seven calendar days of receiving information that a recordable injury or illness has occurred. It must include all information required by the form and be available for OSHA inspection upon request.
Who needs it
General contractors, subcontractors, and trades such as electrical, plumbing, framing, and roofing need this form if they are required to keep OSHA injury and illness records. Most employers with 11 or more employees must maintain these records unless they fall under a low-hazard industry exemption. In California, contractors must follow the equivalent Title 8 CCR 14300.29 requirements which align closely with the federal standard.
What happens without it
OSHA or Cal/OSHA can issue a citation during an inspection if the required incident report is missing or incomplete. Serious violations typically carry penalties in the range of several thousand dollars while willful or repeated violations can reach tens of thousands per citation. Failure to document incidents also increases the chance of multi-employer citations on construction sites and makes it harder to defend against related claims.
What's included in the generated document
- Employee and employer identification information
- Incident description, date, time, and location
- Injury or illness details and affected body parts
- Witness and treatment information
- Root cause analysis section with corrective actions
How to implement it at your company
- Talk to Guy first. Describe your operation, trade, and location — Guy draws from 300,000+ verified OSHA and state regulatory citations to build a compliance plan specific to your company. Your answers shape every section of the document you receive. Takes about 10 minutes.
- Download the PDF and save it to a shared company folder or safety management system.
- Train supervisors and safety personnel on when and how to complete the form.
- Establish a procedure to fill out the report within seven days of any recordable incident.
- Review the root cause section with the safety committee or management team.
- Store completed forms securely for at least five years and make them available for OSHA review.