If a work-related injury or illness results in medical treatment beyond first aid, you must record it on the OSHA 300 Log. If the injury or illness did not result in death, days away from work, or restricted work or a job transfer, you must check the box for cases where the employee received medical treatment but remained at work and was not transferred or restricted (other recordable cases). 29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(5). An example is a case in which the employee is involved in an accident and is taken to the hospital to have a cut stitched, then returns to work the next day. The employee would have received medical treatment but would not have a lost day of work, restricted work or a job transfer.

Medical treatment means the management and care of a patient to combat disease or disorder. It does not include visits to a physician or other licensed health care professional solely for observation or counseling; conducting diagnostic procedures, such as X-rays and blood tests; the administration of prescription medication used solely for diagnostic purposes (e.g., eye drops to dilate pupils); or first aid. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(5)(i).

First aid means the following: 29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(5)(i) (A-N).

• Using a non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength. (If a physician or licensed health care provider directs use of a nonprescription medication at prescription strength, it is considered medical treatment.)
• Administering tetanus immunizations. (Other immunizations, such as hepatitis B vaccines or rabies vaccines, are considered medical treatment.)
• Cleaning, flushing or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin.
• Using wound covering such as bandages, Band-Aids™, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Ster-Strips.™ (Other wound closing devices such as sutures, staples, etc., are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes.)
• Using hot or cold therapy.
• Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic bandages, wraps, non-rigid back belts, etc. (Devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for record keeping purposes.)
• Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (e.g., splints, slings, neck collars, back boards, etc.).
• Drilling a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure or draining fluid from a blister.
• Using eye patches.
• Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab.
• Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs or other simple means.
• Using finger guards.
• Using massages. (Physical therapy and chiropractic treatments are considered medical treatment for record keeping purposes.)
• Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress.

29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(5)(v) provides that if a physician or other licensed health care professional recommends medical treatment and the employee does not follow the physician’s recommendation, you must still record the case. As previously stated, you should encourage the employee to follow the recommendation.