OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Aurora, Illinois (2026)
If you don't post your completed OSHA 300A Summary form by the February 1st deadline, you risk an OSHA inspection and fines exceeding $15,600 per violation. In Aurora, Illinois, this federal requirement, also known as the OSHA Annual Summary, is administered by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and applies to most businesses with more than 10 employees. Key facts:
- 198 fields across the core OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 forms — ApronPrep auto-fills 164.
- $0–$0 government filing fee for this posting requirement.
- Varies processing timeline (no approval needed, but record retention required).
Analyzed from OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
83% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
The federal OSHA Form 300A is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act). This requirement applies uniformly to restaurants in Aurora, Illinois, through the Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA), which enforces the OSH Act under an OSHA-approved state plan. The law requires all employers with 11 or more employees at any time during the previous calendar year (except certain low-hazard industries) to record and annually summarize work-related injuries and illnesses. This is not a local Aurora ordinance but a federal mandate enforced at the state level, making compliance non-negotiable for qualifying food service businesses.
Failure to properly complete, certify, and post the OSHA 300A summary from February 1 to April 30 each year triggers immediate enforcement action. The primary consequences include:
- Financial penalties: As of the latest adjustment, OSHA can cite businesses for recordkeeping violations. Serious violations carry fines up to $16,131 per violation, while willful or repeated violations can reach $161,323. Failure to correct a cited violation results in additional penalties of $16,131 per day past the abatement date.
- Operational disruption: An inspection stemming from a recordkeeping complaint can expand into a full-site review, leading to citations for other hazards and potential operational shutdowns until violations are corrected.
- Business reputation and contractual risk: Inaccurate or missing logs can negatively impact your Experience Modification Rate (EMR) for workers' compensation insurance, leading to higher premiums. They may also be reviewed during due diligence for lease renewals, business loans, or the sale of your establishment, casting doubt on your operational safety.
Legal code: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
Recent update: As of 2025, OSHA's recordkeeping rule now requires certain employers in designated high-hazard industries (including some food service NAICS codes) to electronically submit their Form 300A data directly to OSHA annually, in addition to the physical posting requirement.
Who Needs a OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required if you employed 11 or more employees at any point in the last calendar year, as OSHA's recordkeeping regulation (29 CFR 1904) applies to most establishments of this size and industry. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required if you employed 11 or more employees at any point in the last calendar year; the service industry (NAICS 722) is not among the partially exempt low-hazard industries listed in Appendix A to Subpart B of 29 CFR 1904. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required if the mobile operation employed 11 or more employees at any point in the last calendar year; the establishment is defined by its physical location and payroll, not its mobility. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required if you employed 11 or more employees at any point in the last calendar year; food service establishments (NAICS 722) are generally covered under OSHA's recordkeeping rules. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (198 Fields)
164 of 198 auto-filledTotal number of recordable injuries and illnesses
textEnter the total count of all work-related injuries and illnesses you recorded on the OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) for the entire calendar year, as defined by OSHA's recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904).
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering only 'first aid' cases or incidents that are not recordable per OSHA 1904, which will underreport your rate and risk a violation for an inaccurate summary.
Total hours worked by all employees (for total rate calculation)
textEnter the total number of hours worked by all employees, including overtime, at this establishment during the calendar year, which is used as the base to calculate your Total Recordable Case Rate (TRC).
COMMON MISTAKE: Using an estimate or payroll hours (which exclude vacation/sick time), instead of the precise sum of actual hours worked; incorrect hours will invalidate your calculated safety rates.
Total recordable case incidence rate
textThis field is automatically calculated by the formula: (Number of injuries & illnesses X 200,000) / Number of hours worked; ensure the result is entered to two decimal places.
COMMON MISTAKE: Manually entering an incorrect calculation or rounding improperly; the rate must match the result of the precise formula using the numbers from the two fields above.
Number of DART cases (days away, restricted, or transferred)
textEnter the sum of cases from columns H and I on your OSHA Form 300 Log, representing cases involving days away from work, job transfer, or restricted work activity.
COMMON MISTAKE: Failing to add cases from both columns H and I, or including cases that resulted only in medical treatment beyond first aid (which belong in column J instead).
Total hours worked by all employees (for DART rate calculation)
textEnter the total hours worked by all employees for the year (identical to the number used for the Total Recordable Case Rate calculation).
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a different hour total here than in the TRC rate calculation, which will cause a mismatch and trigger a review for data inconsistency.
DART incidence rate
textThis field is automatically calculated: (Number of DART cases X 200,000) / Number of hours worked; enter the result to two decimal places.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the Total Recordable Case Rate here by mistake, or performing the calculation incorrectly, which misrepresents your establishment's serious incident rate.
Log Year
textEnter the four-digit calendar year (e.g., 2025) for which the injury and illness data is being summarized.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the previous year if posting the summary in February, or using a fiscal year; the year must match the data period on your Form 300 Log.
Establishment Name
textEnter the official, full legal name of your restaurant or business establishment as it is recognized for tax and licensing purposes.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a DBA ("Doing Business As") name that differs from the legal entity name on file with OSHA, which can delay identification in an inspection.
City
textEnter the city where your restaurant is physically located and where the employees covered by this log report to work.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a corporate headquarters city if different from the specific establishment's location, which misdirects regulatory correspondence.
State
textEnter the two-letter U.S. postal abbreviation for the state (e.g., IL for Illinois) where your establishment is located.
COMMON MISTAKE: Spelling out the full state name or using an incorrect abbreviation, which can cause filing errors with federal electronic systems.
ApronPrep auto-fills 164 of 198 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Mistakes
1. Failing to Post Form During the Mandated February-April Window
Based on ApronPrep's analysis of OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses applications, employers frequently post the form late or for too short a period. The OSHA requirement is to post the completed form in a conspicuous place from February 1 through April 30 of each year. Missing this window is a common citation during routine OSHA inspections and can result in fines. To avoid this, set a calendar reminder for February 1 to ensure your summary is posted on time.
2. Omitting a Required Signature and Certification
The Form 300A is invalid without a signature from a company executive (owner, CEO, highest-ranking officer) certifying the data is accurate. Applications are incomplete without it. Leaving this field blank is a clerical error that will cause the form to be non-compliant if reviewed. A concrete example: signing with 'HR Manager' instead of the company owner or CEO on the certification line will be flagged as insufficient during an inspection. Always have the highest-ranking company official sign and date the form.
3. Entering Data Incorrectly from the OSHA Form 300 Log
Mistakes occur when manually transferring totals from the detailed OSHA Form 300 Log to the summary Form 300A, leading to mismatched numbers. Common errors include miscounting 'cases with days away from work' or incorrectly calculating the total 'number of days' of job transfer or restriction. This creates an inconsistency that an OSHA compliance officer can spot, potentially triggering a deeper audit of your injury records. Double-check that every total on Form 300A matches the corresponding column total on Form 300.
Skip the Paperwork on Your OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
ApronPrep auto-fills 164 of 198 fields from one compliance interview.
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OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses by City in Illinois
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | ||
| Chicago | ||
| Rockford |
Timeline: Annual Process with Year-End Deadlines
Maintain the OSHA Form 300 Log Throughout the Year
From January 1 through December 31, record every work-related injury or illness that is required to be logged under 29 CFR 1904 on the OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses). You must have the log readily available for OSHA inspectors and employees. Common errors include failing to record hearing loss, needlestick injuries, or new cases of diagnosed chronic illness.
Review and Certify the Log for Accuracy
By February 1, a company executive (like the owner, highest-ranking site manager, or a corporate officer) must review the completed OSHA 300 log for the prior year to verify its accuracy. This review is a prerequisite for completing Form 300A. Inaccurate or missing entries are the top violation cited by OSHA during inspections.
Complete the OSHA Form 300A Summary
Transfer the annual totals from the Form 300 log to the corresponding columns on the OSHA Form 300A. You must calculate the annual average number of employees and total hours worked by all employees to complete fields G and H. Errors in these calculations are a frequent cause of non-compliance.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Illinois.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Alcohol Server Training Certification (BASSET)
state
Annual Report Filing
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThere is no standard processing timeline for OSHA Form 300A, as it is not a document you 'get' or 'apply for' but rather an annual record you create and certify in-house. Federal law (29 CFR 1904.32) requires the completed and certified form to be posted at your establishment from February 1 to April 30 each year. While not specific to Aurora, the City's City Business License/Registration may be reviewed alongside your OSHA compliance, so maintaining your 300A log is critical to avoid delays in other processes.
There are no government filing fees associated with OSHA Form 300A. The form itself is a free document provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for your internal recordkeeping. The cost lies in the time required to accurately complete it and potential fines for non-compliance, which are separate from this specific form. Not legal advice — verify with OSHA.
No, OSHA Form 300A logs cannot be 'transferred.' Each establishment must maintain its own separate record of work-related injuries and illnesses. If you move your Aurora restaurant to a new address, you must close out the log for the previous location and start a new logbook at the new site. This site-specific tracking is similar to how a Alarm System Permit/Registration is tied to a physical address.
You do not renew Form 300A; you create a new summary annually. OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1904.32) require employers to review, certify, and post a fresh Form 300A summary covering the previous calendar year. This summary must be displayed in your Aurora workplace from February 1 to April 30. Unlike an Annual Report Filing submitted to the state, this is an internal posting requirement.
During an OSHA inspection, a compliance officer will request to see your OSHA injury and illness records, including Forms 300, 300A, and 301. They will verify the posted 300A summary is current, accurate, and certified by a company executive. The officer will compare the log against other documents like payroll records to check for underreporting. As posted on the OSHA website, failure to maintain or post these records can result in citations and fines, independent of any findings from an on-site safety audit.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Illinois specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Chicago, Rockford), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 198 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
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