Voluntary flu-shot reactions under older injury-log policy

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

September 20, 1996

Mr. Larry M. Kreh
Manager, Ergonomics and Loss Prevention
PPG Industries, Inc.
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Kreh:

Thank you for your letter requesting a reevaluation of recording injuries and illnesses associated with voluntary flu shot programs on the OSHA Log and Summary of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. As you are aware, OSHA is in the process of revising its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping requirements. In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the February 2, 1996 Federal Register, OSHA proposed to discontinue the requirement to record the very cases from which you are requesting an exception. OSHA believes it will not lose any valuable information through the discontinuation of recording these particular cases and sees no need to delay this policy until publication of a final rule. Therefore, we are revising our interpretation and do not consider injuries and illnesses which solely result from the voluntary flu shot programs on the employers premises to be work related. These cases are therefore no longer recordable.

Sincerely,
Bob Whitmore, Chief
Division of Recordkeeping Requirements