Is It Recordable?
Scenario Q176

Exploding Cell Phone: is it recordable?

Verdict: Recordable
Published 2021-05-30

Question

An employee was working outside on a hot sunny day and left their cell phone on the dashboard of their work vehicle. They retrieved their phone after several hours and placed it in their pocket. Soon after, the phone exploded in their pocket, resulting in burns. The employee receives medical treatment for the burns and receives a recommendation to stay home from work for several days to recover. Is it recordable?

Answer

YES. The incident occurred during the normal workday in the work environment and is presumed work-related for recordkeeping purposes.

1904.7(a): You must consider an injury or illness to meet the general recording criteria, and therefore to be recordable, if it results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. You must also consider a case to meet the general recording criteria if it involves a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional, even if it does not result in death, days away from work, restricted work or job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness.

Illustration for the scenario: Exploding Cell Phone

#RedBeard #osha #osharecordkeeping #safety #workerscomp #occupationalsafety #recordkeeping #injuries #HR #cellphone #explosion

Illustration for the scenario: Exploding Cell Phone

Related scenarios

Q227

Copper Theft

A man and his son break into a substation in the middle of the night to steal copper. They cut an energized cable and an arc flash badly…

Not recordable
Q220

Out of Town Meeting

An employee traveled out of town to attend a 2-hour meeting at the direction of his supervisor. The employee arrived the evening before…

Not recordable
Q219

Outburst

An employees discovers that the company is planning to lay him off at the end of the month. He storms into the breakroom and in an…

Recordable

This is guidance based on 29 CFR Part 1904 and OSHA letters of interpretation. Facts and details may be altered or fictional. As specified by OSHA, the employer is responsible for the final recordability determination.