How long must the employer maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses?

Employers are required to maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses for a period of five years. This requirement ensures that there is an ongoing documented history that can be reviewed and referenced for trends in workplace safety, facilitating better safety and health regulations compliance.

After five years, the records can be discarded, since injuries and illnesses that occurred more than five years prior might not be relevant for current safety practices or for compliance with OSHA standards. Keeping records for this duration also allows for analysis of workplace conditions and can be critical when investigating incidents or trends that emerge over time.

In contrast, maintaining records for only one year would not provide sufficient data for comprehensive analysis, and ten years may extend beyond the practical utility of the information. Keeping records "as long as necessary" is vague and does not provide a clear time frame for compliance, making it less effective in standardized safety practices.