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By ApronPrep Compliance Team|Reviewed by Sarah Chen, Food Safety Specialist|Verified April 2026
198Form Fields

Analyzed from OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

164Auto-Filled

83% from one compliance interview

34Need Attention

Manual entry or document upload required

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Why You Need a OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

The OSHA Form 300A is a federal recordkeeping requirement, not a local San Antonio ordinance. It is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) and the specific recordkeeping standard, 29 CFR 1904. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces this nationwide, and in Texas, this enforcement is typically carried out by federal OSHA. The law requires most employers with more than 10 employees to maintain a log of work-related injuries and illnesses (Form 300), and to post a summary (Form 300A) each year from February 1 to April 30. This transparency is a core part of workplace safety compliance.

Failing to complete, certify, and post the Form 300A can trigger significant consequences during an OSHA inspection. These are not filing fees, but federal penalties for non-compliance:

  • Willful or Repeat Violations: Up to $161,323 per violation for knowingly or repeatedly failing to keep or post required records.
  • Serious Violations: Up to $16,131 per violation for failing to properly record or post injury data.
  • Failure-to-Abate Penalties: Up to $16,131 for each day a cited violation remains uncorrected past its abatement date.
  • Increased Scrutiny A missing or inaccurate 300A log is a red flag for inspectors, often leading to a broader, more detailed safety inspection of your restaurant.
  • Insurance and Legal Risk Workers' compensation insurers and plaintiff's attorneys can use the absence of this federally required log as evidence of negligence in injury cases.

Legal code: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)

Serious violations up to $16,131 per violation; willful violations up to $161,323; failure to abate $16,131/day

Recent update: For the 2023 reporting year, OSHA adjusted its maximum penalty amounts for violations; these higher fine ceilings now apply to all recordkeeping violations, including those for Form 300A.

Who Needs a OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses?

TypeRequiredNotes
Restaurant (Full-Service)RequiredRequired by federal OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904.39 because it typically employs 10+ employees, and the food service industry is not among the partially exempt low-hazard sectors.
Bar / NightclubRequiredRequired by federal OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904.39 as establishments in the amusement and recreation services industry (NAICS 713) with 10+ employees are generally not exempt from OSHA recordkeeping.
Food TruckRequiredRequired by federal OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904.39 if the mobile operation employs 10 or more workers, as the exemption for employers with fewer than 10 employees is based on peak annual employment, not physical location.
Coffee Shop / CaféRequiredRequired by federal OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1904.39 for establishments with 10+ employees, as they are classified under food services and drinking places (NAICS 722) and are not part of the designated low-hazard industries exempt from keeping the OSHA 300A log.
12 more establishment types

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Field-by-Field Guide (198 Fields)

164 of 198 auto-filled

Total number of recordable injuries and illnesses

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the sum of all injuries and illnesses recorded in columns G, H, and I of your OSHA Form 300 Log for the calendar year—this is a calculated total from your completed log.

COMMON MISTAKE: Manually counting or guessing this number instead of pulling it directly from the calculated sum in your Form 300, which can cause a mismatch and rejection.

High rejection risk

Total hours worked by all employees (for total rate calculation)

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the total number of hours all employees worked during the calendar year, which must be sourced from your payroll records, including overtime, but excluding vacation, sick leave, or holidays.

COMMON MISTAKE: Using an estimated number, forgetting to include overtime hours, or mixing up the hours for this section with the identical field for the DART rate calculation—they must match.

High rejection risk

Total recordable case incidence rate

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the calculated incidence rate using the formula: (Number of injuries & illnesses x 200,000) / Total hours worked; this field is auto-calculated by ApronPrep based on your entered data.

COMMON MISTAKE: Manually calculating the rate incorrectly or rounding it improperly—it must be precise to two decimal places as per OSHA's formula.

High rejection risk

Number of DART cases (days away, restricted, or transferred)

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the total number of cases from columns H and I of your Form 300 Log, representing injuries/illnesses that resulted in days away from work, restricted duty, or job transfer.

COMMON MISTAKE: Incorrectly including cases from column G (other recordables) or failing to sum both columns H and I, which leads to an underreported DART count.

High rejection risk

Total hours worked by all employees (for DART rate calculation)

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the total hours worked by all employees for the year; this number must be identical to the one used in the total recordable case rate calculation, sourced from the same payroll records.

COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a different number here than in the other hours-worked field, which creates an inconsistency and will trigger a rejection for formula mismatch.

High rejection risk

DART incidence rate

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the calculated DART rate using the formula: (Number of DART cases x 200,000) / Total hours worked; ApronPrep auto-fills this based on your DART cases and hours worked.

COMMON MISTAKE: Manually inputting a rounded or estimated rate instead of the exact calculation, or misplacing the decimal point, which violates OSHA's reporting precision requirements.

High rejection risk

Log Year

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the four-digit calendar year (e.g., 2026) for which the Form 300A summary is being completed and posted.

COMMON MISTAKE: Using a fiscal year, a two-digit year (e.g., '26'), or the previous year if posting after January 1st—it must be the correct reporting year.

Establishment Name

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the legal business name of your restaurant exactly as it appears on your OSHA Form 300 Log and other official documents, including any DBA if applicable.

COMMON MISTAKE: Using a nickname, abbreviated name, or the name of the parent company if different from the specific establishment, which can cause confusion during an OSHA inspection.

City

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the city where your restaurant is physically located and where the recorded work-related injuries/illnesses occurred.

COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a corporate headquarters city or a mailing address city if it differs from the physical worksite location, which misrepresents the establishment's location.

State

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Auto-filled from compliance interview

Enter the two-letter postal abbreviation for the state where your restaurant is physically located (e.g., TX for Texas).

COMMON MISTAKE: Spelling out the full state name or using an incorrect abbreviation, which does not match the standardized format required by OSHA.

188 more fields in this form

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Top 5 OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Mistakes

1

1. Posting the Form in the Wrong Location or for the Wrong Dates

Posting the form 300A outside the designated workplace area (like a back office) or posting it outside the required February 1 to April 30 window. This directly violates OSHA’s posting rule (29 CFR 1904.32(b)(3)) and can trigger fines. Ensure the form is posted in a common area where all employees can see it, such as a break room or near time clocks, from February 1 through April 30 each year.

2

2. Calculating the Annual Average Number of Employees Incorrectly

Using a simple year-end employee count instead of calculating the true average. This error skews all subsequent injury rate calculations. To calculate correctly, add the total number of employees for each pay period in the year, then divide by the number of pay periods. For example, if you had 12 employees for 26 pay periods and 15 for 26 pay periods, your average is (12*26 + 15*26) / 52 = 13.5, which rounds to 14 for the form.

3

3. Recording Non-Recordable Injuries or Illnesses

Including incidents that are not work-related or do not meet OSHA’s recordability criteria (like minor first-aid only cases) on the OSHA 300 Log, which then carry over to the 300A summary. This inflates your establishment’s injury rates unnecessarily. Review OSHA’s recordkeeping guidelines to confirm an incident requires restricted work, job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or involves a significant injury/illness diagnosis before logging it.

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OSHA Form 300A - Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses by City in Texas

CityFee RangeTimeline
Dallas
Houston
San Antonio

Timeline: Annual Filing Process

1

Track & Log All Work-Related Injuries & Illnesses (Year-Round)

Throughout the entire calendar year, you are required to record each work-related injury or illness on OSHA Forms 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) as they occur. This is a continuous legal obligation for any employer with 10 or more employees in most industries. The most common delay is failing to log an incident within the required 7 calendar days or incorrectly determining if an incident is "work-related" under OSHA's specific definition (29 CFR 1904.5).

Year-round, ongoing
2

Review & Certify OSHA Form 300A Data

Between January 1 and February 1, a company executive (owner, CEO, highest-ranking manager) must review the OSHA Form 300 Log for the previous year, tally the totals, and accurately transfer them to the OSHA Form 300A summary. The executive must then sign and date the 300A to certify its accuracy. Errors in tallying or missing executive certification are leading causes of citations during inspections. You must post the completed 300A in a common area from February 1 to April 30.

2-4 hours
3

Submit Electronic Data to OSHA (If Required)

Establishments with 20 or more employees in certain designated industries (like full-service restaurants) must also electronically submit their Form 300A data to OSHA through the online Injury Tracking Application (ITA) on OSHA.gov. The submission window typically runs from January 2 to March 2. You will need your establishment's OSHA ID number or company details to create an ITA account. Missing this electronic submission deadline can result in a citation and proposed fines.

30-60 minutes
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Other Requirements You'll Need

This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Texas.

FAQ

There is no processing or 'getting' timeline for OSHA Form 300A itself, as it is not submitted for approval to any agency. It is an internal record you create and keep. However, the requirement is time-bound: you must post the completed summary annually from February 1 to April 30, per the federal OSHA regulation (29 CFR 1904.32). The actual preparation time varies based on your recordkeeping for the prior year, but most businesses can complete it in under an hour.

There are no government filing fees for OSHA Form 300A. The form is a free-to-use federal recordkeeping document provided by OSHA, not a permit or license you purchase. However, there are significant financial consequences for not maintaining these records. Violations during a compliance inspection, such as failure to post the summary, can trigger fines exceeding $15,000 per violation under OSHA's penalty structure, which is separate from other local licensing fees, like those for your City Business License/Registration. Contact OSHA to confirm current penalty amounts.

No, OSHA Form 300A is not transferable. It is a specific annual summary of work-related injuries and illnesses that occurred at a specific establishment during a specific calendar year. If you relocate your business, you must maintain separate records for the new location. The summary for a prior year's data at the old location must remain accessible for five years, as required by OSHA. This is a distinct requirement from location-specific permits like a Building Permit, which are tied to a physical property.

You must create a new OSHA Form 300A annually. It is not renewed, but re-created each year. The cycle is based on the calendar year: you review your OSHA Form 300 (the detailed log) for the prior year, calculate the totals, and then prepare the new Form 300A summary. This new document must be posted in a common area where all employees can see it from February 1 through April 30 of each year, as mandated by 29 CFR 1904.32.

During an OSHA inspection (or an inspection by its state-plan equivalent in Texas), a compliance officer will request to see your OSHA injury and illness records. They will verify that your Form 300A for the last posted year is complete, accurate, and was posted during the required February-April window. They will also check that your underlying Form 300 log for the current and past years is properly maintained. Failure to provide these documents upon request is a citable violation and can lead to significant penalties, separate from any findings related to physical workplace hazards.

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 Texas specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio), 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.

157+Cities analyzed
9,849Requirements tracked
8,415Forms analyzed
433,000Fields classified

Sources

  • Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
How we verify data

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