checklist template · Free download
Workplace Safety Checklist (OSHA, Fire Drill & Ergonomics)
OSHA compliance checklist with 1904 recordkeeping deadlines, a timed fire drill log, a workstation ergonomic assessment and a monthly walk-through.
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What you get
- An OSHA general-industry compliance checklist mapped to the actual CFR sections (1904, 1910.36-37, .132, .147, .151, .157, .1200)
- A deadline table for the OSHA 300A posting window, the March 2 electronic submission and the 8-hour / 24-hour severe injury reports
- A fire drill checklist split into before, during and after, plus a timed evacuation log
- A computer workstation ergonomic assessment based on OSHA's Computer Workstations eTool
- A monthly walk-through inspection table with blank rows for findings, owners and due dates
Template preview
A preview of the structure. Download the PDF or CSV for the complete, ready-to-use version.
Inspection details
- Site name and address
- NAICS code— Needed to check the 1904 partial exemption and the electronic submission lists
- Peak employee count last calendar year (company-wide)— e.g. 64: the 10-employee recordkeeping exemption uses company-wide peak headcount
- Employees at this establishment— Electronic submission thresholds (20, 100, 250) are per establishment
What this checklist covers (and what it does not)
This is an audit tool: Yes / No / N/A checks against specific OSHA general-industry rules, plus three working forms (fire drill log, ergonomic assessment, monthly walk-through). It does not replace your written safety policy (see the health and safety policy template), your task-level hazard analysis (job hazard analysis template) or your written evacuation plan (emergency action plan template). Construction sites follow 29 CFR 1926 and are out of scope here.
1. OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping (29 CFR 1904)
- Confirm whether you must keep records: employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year (company-wide peak) are partially exempt (1904.1). Everyone else keeps records unless the industry is listed as partially exempt in Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 1904 (1904.2)
- OSHA Form 300 (log) is up to date: each recordable case entered within 7 calendar days of learning of it (1904.29(b)(3))
- OSHA Form 301 (incident report), or an equivalent such as a workers' comp first report with the same information, is completed for each recordable case
- Form 300A (annual summary) totals checked and certified by a company executive: owner, corporate officer, highest-ranking official at the site, or that person's direct supervisor (1904.32)
OSHA reporting and posting deadlines
| Event or requirement | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Work-related fatality | Report to OSHA within 8 hours of the death (if the death occurs within 30 days of the incident) | 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(1), (b)(6) |
| In-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye | Report within 24 hours (if it occurs within 24 hours of the incident); applies even to employers exempt from keeping logs | 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(2), 1904.1 |
| How to report | Call the nearest OSHA area office, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or report online at osha.gov | 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(3) |
| Record a new case on the 300 log | Within 7 calendar days of receiving information that a recordable case occurred | 29 CFR 1904.29(b)(3) |
2. Posters and written programs
- "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" poster (OSHA 3165) displayed where employees can see it; state-plan states may use their own version. Free from osha.gov; printed copies must be at least 8.5 x 14 inches
- Hazard communication (1910.1200): written program listing every hazardous chemical on site, a current safety data sheet for each one that employees can reach during every shift, labels on all containers including secondary bottles, and training before first exposure
- Emergency action plan (1910.38) and fire prevention plan (1910.39) in writing and kept at the workplace if you have more than 10 employees; with 10 or fewer they may be communicated orally
- PPE hazard assessment done and certified in writing with the workplace evaluated, the certifier's name, the date, and a statement that it is a certification of hazard assessment (1910.132(d)(2))
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How to use this template
- 1
Run the compliance section once a year
Work through the OSHA recordkeeping, posting, exit route, fire extinguisher, first aid, PPE and lockout/tagout items each January, before the February 1 300A posting date. Mark each item Yes, No or N/A and attach evidence.
- 2
Schedule and log fire drills
Pick a drill date, brief floor wardens, run the drill with a stopwatch and record the evacuation time, headcount result and problems in the timed log.
- 3
Assess workstations on request and at onboarding
Sit with the employee at their desk for 15 minutes, run the ergonomic checklist, and log each finding with a fix and a date. Re-check after any complaint of neck, back, wrist or eye strain.
- 4
Walk the site monthly
Use the walk-through table each month. Every No gets an owner and a due date, and stays open until someone checks the fix in person.
- 5
Keep the evidence
File completed checklists, drill logs and inspection sheets with your safety records. OSHA injury logs must be kept five years; keep these supporting records at least as long.
Frequently asked questions
What should an OSHA compliance checklist include?
At minimum: injury and illness recordkeeping (Forms 300, 300A, 301), the 8-hour and 24-hour severe injury reports, the It's the Law poster, hazard communication, exit routes, fire extinguishers, first aid, a certified PPE hazard assessment and lockout/tagout if you service machinery. Add the standards for your specific hazards, such as forklifts or respirators, and your state plan's extra rules.
Do small businesses have to keep OSHA 300 logs?
Not if the company had 10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year, counted company-wide. Businesses in industries listed as partially exempt in Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 1904 are also exempt from routine logs. Every employer covered by the OSH Act, exempt or not, must still report fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and eye losses.
When is the OSHA 300A due?
Post the certified 300A summary from February 1 to April 30 of the year after the one it covers. If your establishment must submit electronically, the data is due through OSHA's Injury Tracking Application by March 2. Establishments with no recordable cases still post a 300A showing zeros.
How often should you do a fire drill at work?
Federal OSHA general-industry rules do not set a drill frequency. They require an emergency action plan, a working alarm and employee training. State and local fire codes, leases and insurers often require drills, commonly once a year for offices. A sensible baseline is one timed drill per year per shift, plus one after any major layout change.
What is on an ergonomic assessment checklist?
Posture (neutral head, relaxed shoulders, elbows near 90 degrees, straight wrists, feet supported), chair adjustability and lumbar support, monitor height and distance, keyboard and mouse position, glare and lighting, and break habits. OSHA's Computer Workstations eTool recommends the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level and 20 to 40 inches from the eyes.
How is this different from a health and safety policy?
The policy states commitments, responsibilities and rules. This checklist audits whether you actually meet specific OSHA requirements and gives you working forms for drills, workstation assessments and monthly inspections. Most workplaces need both, plus a written emergency action plan and job hazard analyses for higher-risk tasks.