OSHA 300 Logs for Short-Term Job Sites Lasting Less Than One Year
One Year Is the Dividing Line
Picture this: your crew finishes pouring concrete on a bridge project after nine months of grinding through weather delays and supply snags. Trailers get hitched, tools loaded, and the site clears out. But what about the OSHA 300 log? Does it vanish with the dust clouds?
Under 29 CFR 1904.30(a), the default rule stays simple. Keep a separate OSHA 300 Log for each establishment expected to operate one year or longer. Multi-site operators juggling permanent yards or shops already handle this. See our guide on OSHA 300 logs for multiple locations for those details.
Short-term setups flip the script. Construction job sites projected under a year, seasonal produce stands, pop-up offices, or project trailers qualify as short-term establishments. Expectation at startup matters, not actual duration. This post zeros in on OSHA 300 log requirements for short-term establishments under 1904.30(b).
You Still Record the Cases
No free pass exists. OSHA 300 log construction job site less than one year still demands injury and illness records. Section 1904.30(b)(1) requires tracking cases from these temporary spots.
The flexibility shines here. Skip separate logs per site. Opt for one central OSHA 300 log temporary jobsite covering all short-term establishments. Or group them by company division or geographic region. Think one log for all Midwest culvert jobs, another for coastal flood barrier gigs.
Headquarters vs. the Trailer
Where do records live? 1904.30(b)(2) allows a central spot, like headquarters, for short-term establishment logs. Key condition: transmit case details within seven calendar days of getting the info. Produce full records on demand per 1904.35 and 1904.40 timelines.
Grab specifics in our post on the OSHA 300 log seven-day recording deadline. Employee access rules apply too. Check OSHA 300 log employee access for those obligations.
Which Log When Someone Is Visiting Another Site
Employees Telecommuting or Floating
1904.30(b)(3) covers workers splitting time across sites or teleworking from home. Link them to one home establishment. Record their cases on that log or the short-term log grouping their operations.
Injury Location Rules
Injured at a fixed establishment? Use its log, per 1904.30(b)(4). Away from all sites? Record where the employee normally works. Examples clarify: a welder nicks a finger at the main shop during downtime from a bridge job. That goes on the shop's log. A slipped disc hauling rebar off-site? Log it where the crew bases daily.
Contractors and Temps Are a Different Question
Who counts as a covered employee? Host employer versus contractor recording follows separate tracks in 1904.31. Dive into who records a temporary worker injury and independent contractors on the OSHA 300 log.
Posting and Year-End When the Job Has Already Ended
Annual Summary (Form 300A) posts where employees report for work, even post-job. No skipping because the central OSHA 300 log temporary jobsite handles everything. Review full OSHA 300A posting requirements.
Site sold mid-stream? 1904.34 splits the recordkeeping year at ownership change. Details in OSHA 300 log change of ownership rules.
Streamline with FORM 300 LOGBOOK
FORM 300 LOGBOOK organizes OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 records in one workspace. Perfect for teams running pop-ups, seasonal ops, or job sites. It centralizes short-term establishment data without creating official OSHA establishments or filing with ITA. Independent software, not OSHA-affiliated. No direct government submissions. Not legal advice. Not a compliance guarantee. Supports your establishment choices.
Small businesses get started at OSHA recordkeeping for small business. Explore features, how it works, and pricing.
Centralized dashboards fit operations with fleeting footprints. Build your OSHA 300 log short-term establishment strategy today.