Assess OSHA Recordability (29 CFR 1904.4)
osha_assess_recordabilityEvaluate a work-related injury or illness against OSHA's 1904.4 decision tree to determine if it is recordable, returning a cited determination for log entry.
Instructions
Determine whether a work-related injury or illness is OSHA recordable under the 1904.4 decision tree: work-related AND a new case AND meeting either the general recording criteria of 1904.7 OR a specific-case criterion of 1904.8-1904.12 (needlestick, medical removal, hearing loss, tuberculosis). Map the incident narrative to the controlled inputs. The tool applies the closed first-aid list in 1904.7(b)(5)(ii) deterministically and returns a cited determination. Reference and triage only — not legal advice or a medical determination. If the result has determination_final=false, it is provisional: follow the clarification_required instruction, ask the user, and call this tool again with their answer.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| new_case | Yes | Is this a new case, not a continuation of a previously recorded one? (1904.6) | |
| outcomes | Yes | General recording criteria outcomes present in this case. REQUIRED — pass [] only when the narrative affirmatively establishes there were none. If the narrative is silent on time off or work restrictions, ask the user before calling; do not pass [] to mean 'unknown'. | |
| treatments | Yes | Controlled treatment codes. Map the incident narrative to these codes. First-aid codes come from the closed 1904.7(b)(5)(ii) list; anything else is medical treatment. Use 'other_medical_treatment' if unsure. If the report mentions medication but not its strength, use 'medication_unspecified_strength' — the strength will be resolved by asking the user, either by the server or by you. Never guess it. REQUIRED — pass [] only when the narrative affirmatively establishes no treatment was given. Note two codes are NEITHER first aid nor medical treatment: 'observation_or_counseling_only' and 'diagnostic_procedure_only' (1904.7(b)(5)(i)) — an x-ray or a clinic visit to be checked out does not make a case recordable. And the professional status of whoever provided the treatment is irrelevant (1904.7(b)(5)(iv)): a bandage is first aid even when a physician applies it. | |
| work_related | Yes | Did the work environment cause or contribute to the injury/illness? (1904.5) | |
| significant_diagnoses | Yes | Significant injuries/illnesses that are recordable even if only first aid was given (1904.7(b)(7)). REQUIRED — pass [] only when affirmatively established, not when the narrative is silent. | |
| specific_case_criteria | Yes | Specific-case recording criteria under 1904.8-1904.12, which are INDEPENDENT of the first-aid list: a case meeting one of these is recordable even when only first aid was given. One of: contaminated_needlestick_or_sharps, medical_removal, occupational_hearing_loss_sts, tuberculosis_infection, bloodborne_exposure_with_diagnosis. REQUIRED — pass [] only when affirmatively established. Note 'occupational_hearing_loss_sts' asks whether the 1904.10 audiometric test is already MET; the tool does not compute the shift. | |
| plhcp_recommendations_not_followed | No | Situations where a PLHCP recommended something and the employee did not follow it. The case is recordable anyway — what was recommended controls, not what the employee did. One of: days_away_recommended_but_employee_worked, restriction_recommended_but_employee_worked_normally, medical_treatment_recommended_but_declined. (1904.7(b)(3)(ii), (b)(4)(viii), (b)(5)(v)) | |
| tuberculosis_test_was_pre_employment | No | For a tuberculosis case only: was the positive skin test obtained at a PRE-EMPLOYMENT physical? If so the case is NOT recordable (1904.11(b)(1)) — the employee was not occupationally exposed to a known active case in your workplace. | |
| medical_removal_was_voluntary_and_early | No | For a medical removal only: was the employee removed VOLUNTARILY, before the medical removal levels required by the OSHA standard were reached? If so the case is NOT recordable (1904.9(b)(3)) — an employer who acts early is not penalised. Leave false when the removal met the standard's criteria. |
Output Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| kind | Yes | ||
| value | Yes | ||
| cfr_cite | Yes | ||
| source_url | Yes | ||
| last_verified | Yes |