OSHA Reporting Requirements for Towing Businesses

A job in the towing industry is one of the most dangerous, especially when safety standards are not adhered to.  According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the towing industry experiences a higher rate of work-related injury and death than other industries.  From 2011 to 2016, in the United States, there were 6,400 nonfatal injuries and illnesses (double the rate of other private industries) and 191 deaths (more than 15 times the rate of deaths of all other private industries combined.)  As a manager or owner, it’s essential for you to understand the OSHA reporting requirements for towing businesses.

What is OSHA?

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, sets and manages regulations that govern the safety and health of employees in all industries.  OSHA does not regulate self-employed drivers; however, its rules govern the workplaces these drivers report to.  OSHA tracks injuries and deaths that occur on the job site or as a result of the work, investigates claims of unsafe working conditions, performs random inspections, and has the authority to institute fines and penalties. 

What must be reported?

Your reporting requirements are minimal if your business has ten or fewer employees.  The only work-related incidents you must record and report are those that result in a fatality, the in-patient hospitalization of one or more employees, an employee amputation, or an employee loss of an eye.  

If you have more than ten employees at any time during a calendar year, then you must keep OSHA injury and illness records.  An injury or illness is considered work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment caused, contributed to, or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition.  A work environment is defined as the establishment and other locations where one or more employees are working or are present as a condition of employment.

Employers must keep a log of all incidents and report them promptly using OSHA’s forms and online reporting website.  The current NAICS code for businesses primarily engaged in towing light or heavy motor vehicles, both local and long-distance, is 488410.  These businesses may also provide incidental storage and emergency road repair services.  

Reportable events include:

• Death
• Loss of consciousness
• Days away from work
• Restricted work activity or job transfer
• Medical treatment beyond first aid.

There are also a few additional items that OSHA requires you to report when they are related to work:

• Any needlestick injury or cut from a sharp object contaminated with another person’s blood or other potentially infectious material.
• Any case requiring an employee to be medically removed under the requirements of an OSHA health standard.
• A tuberculosis infection as evidenced by a positive skin test or diagnosis by a physician or other licensed healthcare professional after exposure to a known case of active tuberculosis.
• An employee’s hearing test (audiogram) reveals 1) that the employee has experienced a Standard Threshold Shift (STS) in hearing in one or both ears and 2) the employee’s total hearing level is 25 decibels (dB) or more above audiometric zero in the same ear(s) as the STS.

How can Collins Manufacturing help?

We have a history of working with our customer companies to help them achieve success.  While you’re focused on running your business, allow our pros at Collins Manufacturing to introduce you to top-of-the-line towing equipment your employees and customers will love.  Our Collins Manufacturing’s Hi-SpeedⓇ Dolly and Carrier Dolly systems are easy, safe to operate, light to transport, and durable to handle the toughest towing jobs.  By providing our towing solutions for your employees, you’ll make their lives easier and see their job satisfaction grow.

Collins has been an industry leader in towing equipment for over 45 years.  Our Hi-SpeedⓇ Dolly and Carrier Dolly systems provide towing professionals with lightweight solutions durable enough to get even large vehicles out of challenging situations and transport them safely wherever they need to go.  Our products are designed with safety first to keep your employees safe while attaching and moving vehicles.  Visit our website or give us a call to learn more about our products.