OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Worcester, Massachusetts (2026)
Posting the OSHA Form 300A is not optional—failing to display this federally mandated summary of workplace injuries and illnesses can trigger a surprise OSHA inspection and fines starting at $15,625 per violation. This form, also called the OSHA Annual Summary, is required by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for all covered establishments, including those in Worcester. Key facts:
- 198 fields across logs and summaries — ApronPrep auto-fills 164 of them from your business data
- $0 government filing fee — this is a federal recordkeeping requirement, not a permit with a filing cost
- Varies posting and record retention timelines — must be posted annually and records kept for 5 years
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 OSHA Form 300A is a federal requirement mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) and enforced in Worcester by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the U.S. Department of Labor. Specifically, OSHA's recordkeeping regulation (29 CFR 1904) requires most employers with more than 10 employees in certain industries—including full-service and limited-service restaurants—to keep a log of work-related injuries and illnesses (OSHA Form 300) and to prepare an annual summary (OSHA Form 300A). This is not a local Worcester ordinance, but a federal law that applies uniformly. The summary must be certified by a company executive and posted in a common area from February 1 to April 30 each year, even if no injuries occurred.
Failing to properly complete, certify, and post the OSHA 300A summary triggers significant consequences. The penalties are adjusted annually for inflation and are strictly enforced. Based on ApronPrep's analysis of enforcement data, common penalties include:
- Serious violations for failing to post the summary can result in fines of up to $16,131 per violation.
- Willful or repeated violations, such as deliberately falsifying records, carry maximum penalties of $161,323 per violation.
- Failure to abate a cited violation can incur additional penalties of $16,131 for each day the violation continues beyond the abatement date.
Legal code: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
Recent update: In January 2025, OSHA's penalty amounts increased for inflation—serious violation maximums rose from $15,625 to $16,131, and willful violation maximums from $156,259 to $161,323.
Who Needs a OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | If you employ 10 or more full- or part-time employees at any time during the previous calendar year, you must maintain OSHA injury and illness records, including the 300A Summary, per OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Unless specifically exempted as a low-hazard industry (which most bars are not), establishments with 10+ employees must comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1904 recordkeeping rules and post the Form 300A annually. |
| Food Truck | Required | If your food truck operation employs 10 or more workers across all vehicles or a central commissary, you are covered under the same OSHA recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904) as fixed establishments. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Coffee shops with 10+ employees are not exempt from OSHA's recordkeeping requirements and must complete and post the Form 300A summary each year, as mandated by 29 CFR 1904. |
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 number of recordable work-related injuries and illnesses from the previous calendar year, as logged on your OSHA Form 300, using data from column G (the number of cases).
COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly including first aid-only incidents, which are not recordable, or omitting illnesses like hearing loss or skin disorders from the count.
Total hours worked by all employees (for total rate calculation)
textEnter the total number of hours worked by all employees in the establishment during the previous calendar year, which must include hours for all employees, including salaried, part-time, and temporary workers.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using payroll hours or failing to include hours for all workers, including owners, managers, and seasonal staff, leading to an inaccurate rate calculation.
Total recordable case incidence rate
textThis is a calculated field; enter the result of (Total number of recordable injuries and illnesses * 200,000) / Total hours worked by all employees, rounded to one decimal place.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the wrong number of hours, misplacing the decimal, or calculating the rate manually instead of letting software like ApronPrep populate it based on verified inputs.
Number of DART cases (days away, restricted, or transferred)
textEnter the sum of cases from Form 300, column H (cases with days away from work) and column I (cases with job transfer or restriction), excluding fatalities.
COMMON MISTAKE: Accidentally including fatalities from column G, or incorrectly counting cases where only medical treatment was provided without days away or restricted work.
Total hours worked by all employees (for DART rate calculation)
textEnter the same total hours worked by all employees used for the total recordable rate calculation; this figure must be identical to the one entered in the previous hours-worked field.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a different hours total than the one entered for the total recordable rate, causing a discrepancy that will flag the form for correction during OSHA's electronic submission review.
DART incidence rate
textThis is a calculated field; enter the result of (Number of DART cases * 200,000) / Total hours worked by all employees, rounded to one decimal place.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using the wrong multiplier, performing the calculation on the wrong set of case numbers, or rounding incorrectly, which can trigger a manual review.
Log Year
textEnter the calendar year the summary covers (e.g., '2025' for the summary posted in 2026).
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the current year instead of the previous calendar year the log data represents, or using a two-digit year format instead of four digits.
Establishment Name
textEnter the legal name of your restaurant or establishment exactly as it appears on official tax and business registration documents.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a DBA (Doing Business As) name that differs from the legal entity name, or abbreviating the name inconsistently with other official filings.
City
textEnter the city where the establishment is physically located for the purpose of the injury and illness log.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a corporate headquarters city instead of the physical location of the restaurant where the employees work and injuries are recorded.
State
textEnter the two-letter postal abbreviation for the state where the establishment is physically located (e.g., 'MA' for Massachusetts).
COMMON MISTAKE: Spelling out the full state name or using an incorrect abbreviation, which can cause submission system errors.
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. Posting the summary for the wrong calendar year
Posting the OSHA Form 300A for the previous year (e.g., posting the 2024 summary in February 2025 when you should be posting 2025's summary for the 2025 calendar year). The consequence is an OSHA violation that can trigger an inspection and potential fines. To avoid, post the summary for the completed calendar year from February 1 through April 30—for 2024 data, post the 2024 form in 2025. Double-check the form's year in the header.
2. Incorrectly calculating total hours worked
Entering an inaccurate number in column (G) 'Total hours worked by all employees last year.' This number is the denominator for your incident rate and must include hours for all employees, including part-time, temporary, and salaried workers. An error here misrepresents your safety record. Calculate it by summing all hours paid, including overtime, vacation, sick leave, and holidays—use payroll records, not an estimate. Example: For 25 full-time employees, don't just enter 25 x 2080 = 52,000; you must include hours for all staff types.
3. Failing to certify the form before posting
Posting the form without a signature from a company executive (owner, CEO, highest-ranking officer) in the certification section at the bottom. An unsigned form is non-compliant. OSHA requires the certifier to review the OSHA 300 Log to verify the summary's accuracy. This adds risk of a citation during an inspection. Ensure the certifying executive signs and dates the form after reviewing the full 300 Log for the year.
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 Massachusetts
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | ||
| Springfield | ||
| Worcester |
Process: Post Summary Annually
Review and Finalize Your OSHA 300 Log
Before you can complete Form 300A, you must ensure your OSHA Form 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses is accurate and complete for the entire calendar year. This involves verifying that all recordable incidents from January 1 to December 31 are correctly logged with details like the employee's name, job title, date of injury, and description. Missing entries or incorrect classification of cases are the top reasons for citations during an OSHA inspection.
Complete OSHA Form 300A Summary
Transfer the annual totals from your Form 300 Log to the corresponding fields on Form 300A. You must calculate and enter the specific number of cases for each injury/illness category, total number of days away from work or job transfer, and total number of days of restricted work activity. Ensure a company executive (owner, CEO, or highest-ranking official on-site) certifies the summary's accuracy by signing and dating it. A common mistake is having a manager sign instead of an authorized executive.
Post the Form 300A Summary in the Workplace
You are required to post the completed OSHA Form 300A in a conspicuous location where all employees can see it, such as an employee break room or bulletin board. Posting must occur each year from February 1 through April 30. For Worcester businesses, you must use the most current version of the form. Failure to post the summary for the full 3-month period can result in fines from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Massachusetts.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Allergen Awareness Training Certificate
state
Annual Report Filing
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThis is not an application you submit for approval, so there is no 'processing time' from an agency. The timeline is the time it takes you to prepare and post the form. Federal OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1904.32) require you to post your completed Form 300A summary in a visible location at your workplace from February 1 to April 30 each year. Preparation time varies based on your recordkeeping for the prior year. Contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to confirm current requirements.
The form itself has a government filing fee of $0–$0. There is no charge to download, complete, or post the OSHA Form 300A as required by law. However, failing to post the form or maintain accurate injury logs can result in significant penalties from OSHA during an inspection, which are separate costs. Not legal advice — verify with the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA.
No, the Form 300A is not a transferable permit or license. It is an annual summary specific to the work-related injuries and illnesses that occurred at a single, fixed establishment during the previous calendar year. If you move your business to a new location in Worcester, you must maintain a separate OSHA Form 300 log and create a new Form 300A summary for that establishment. This requirement is separate from local occupancy permits like a Certificate of Occupancy, which you will also need for the new space.
You must prepare and post a new Form 300A every year. The annual cycle is mandatory for most covered employers under OSHA's recordkeeping rule (29 CFR Part 1904). You summarize the prior year's data (January 1 – December 31), certify the form, and post it from February 1 to April 30. This is a recurring annual compliance task, similar in frequency to filing an Annual Report with the state.
An OSHA compliance officer may inspect your posted Form 300A and your underlying OSHA Form 300 log of injuries and illnesses. They will verify the summary is posted during the mandatory period (Feb 1–Apr 30), is completed correctly, and matches the detailed log. They may also review related safety programs and records. Failure to post the form or maintain accurate records can result in citations and fines per OSHA's enforcement policies. Preparation is key to avoiding penalties.
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 Massachusetts specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Boston, Springfield, Worcester), 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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