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Recording a reaction to travel vaccination

Summary An employer asked whether a worker's reaction to a hepatitis A vaccination for required business travel had to be logged. OSHA said the clinic's recommendation for the required trip made the episode work-related under its older recordkeeping rules. Because the worker fainted and lost consciousness, OSHA said it had to be recorded; OSHA now archives the letter.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1997-01-08
Date issued
January 8, 1997
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OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy.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 Travel
Source
View the official document

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OSHA labels this an archive document and warns that it may no longer represent OSHA policy.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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
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NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

January 8, 1997
Ms. Ann Giacomelli
Chevron Research and Technology
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Ms. Giacomelli:
Thank you for your facsimile dated December 5 requesting an interpretation regarding an employee's adverse reaction to a Hepatitis A vaccination. Though the inoculation was not specifically required, the fact that it was recommended by your medical clinic for the employee's required travel to Venezuela makes it a work related episode for OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping purposes. Because the episode resulted in a vaso-vagal fainting and unconsciousness, the case must be recorded on the OSHA Log.
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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