Ask the expert: Does OSHA allow electronic employee health files?
Q: Our company is moving to another location with less storage capacity and we are changing change most of our files to electronic form. Does OSHA allow employee medical records to be maintained electronically?
A: Yes, OSHA allows electronic medical and exposure records.
According to the standard 1910.1020, Access to employee exposure and medical records:
“Record” means any item, collection, or grouping of information regardless of the form or process by which it is maintained (e.g., paper document, microfiche, microfilm, X-ray film, or automated data processing).
Section (d)(1)(i) of the standard requires the retention of the employee medical records for the “duration of employment plus thirty (30) years.”
Remember to distinguish between employee medical records and employee training records for OSHA compliance. Training records, such as for the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard are retained for only three years.
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David LaHoda
David LaHoda is the managing editor of the OSHA Healthcare Advisor, the weekly ezine OSHA Healthcare Connection, Medical Environment Update, HCPro's Basic OSHA Compliance Manual Kits for medical or dental practices, and the OSHA online training materials for ambulatory healthcare facilities.
David has written 792 posts.
Comments
Are there any instances where a paper record needs to be saved. If the records are scanned, can they be all be shredded?
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