Restricted Work During Scheduled Time Off: is it recordable?

Question

An employee is working in the field under a rotational shiftwork schedule where he works 16 hour days for one full week and then gets the next week two weeks off. On the last day of his shift, he twists his ankle. A healthcare professional recommends 10 days of work restrictions but no therapy or medicines were prescribed. The employee comes back to his regularly-assigned work duties, at full duty, two weeks later. Is it recordable?

Answer

YES. You must include days of restricted work even if the employee was not scheduled to work.
1904.7(b)(3)(iv) How do I count weekends, holidays, or other days the employee would not have worked anyway? You must count the number of calendar days the employee was unable to work as a result of the injury or illness, regardless of whether or not the employee was scheduled to work on those day(s). Weekend days, holidays, vacation days or other days off are included in the total number of days recorded if the employee would not have been able to work on those days because of a work-related injury or illness.

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1904.7(b)(3)(iv)

• Days away & restricted work
• 1904.7 General recording criteria