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Correcting entries on the OSHA 200 injury log

Summary An employer asked whether it could delete an injury-log entry that proved inaccurate or nonrecordable. OSHA said the entry could be removed with a computer program, correction fluid, an eraser or another method, so long as the records remained legible, complete and accurate. OSHA archives the letter and warns it may no longer state current policy.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1996-04-18-2
Date issued
April 18, 1996
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 9, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1904 Recordkeeping
Source
View the official document

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The current status of this document is unclear
OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

April 18, 1996

Jerry Carter
Safety Director
Cerro Copper Products Co.
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Carter:

Thank you for your letter dated March 26, requesting information regarding deletion of non-recordable and changed case entries from the OSHA 200 Log. It is acceptable to completely delete a line entry that is found not to be recordable or correct. Use of a computer program, correction fluid, eraser, or any other technique of entry removal is acceptable. The main issue is not the writing instrument used to maintain the injury and illness records but rather that the records be legible, complete and accurate.

I hope you find this information useful. If you have any further questions, please call us at Area Code (202) 219-6463.

Sincerely,
Bob Whitmore
Chief
Division of Recordkeeping Requirements

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