Florida Contractor Practice Exam

OSHA regulations require injury and illness records to be retained for how many calendar years after the year they relate to?

1. 1 year

2. 3 years

3. 5 years

4. 7 years

The correct answer is: 7 years

The correct duration for retaining injury and illness records under OSHA regulations is five years after the year they relate to. This ensures that records are kept long enough for any possible investigations or claims related to workplace safety. Keeping these records provides essential information for analyzing workplace incidents and helps employers identify trends or areas needing improvement in safety practices. Retaining records for five years strikes a balance between the need for historical data and the practicality of managing long-term records. This period allows employers and OSHA to maintain an adequate level of oversight and accountability regarding workplace injuries and illnesses. It's worth noting that while there may be confusion around longer retention periods, the standard requirement is actually five years.