Do You Post OSHA 300A If You Had Zero Recordable Cases?
Yes. If you are required to keep OSHA records, you complete the 300A with zeros in every total, have it certified, and post it from February 1 to April 30.
The short answer
Yes. If you are required to keep OSHA records, you complete the 300A with zeros in every total, have it certified, and post it from February 1 to April 30. Partially exempt employers do not, and covered establishments still submit the zero-case 300A to the ITA.
Zero injuries does not mean zero year-end work for covered recordkeeping employers.
The rule in plain English
The recordkeeping year is the calendar year. For the 2026 log, the 300A must be reviewed, certified, and posted by February 1, 2027 and stay up through April 30, 2027 (29 CFR 1904.32(b)(6)). Establishments covered by the electronic submission rule send their data to OSHA's Injury Tracking Application (ITA) by March 2, 2027 (29 CFR 1904.41(c)). The regulation sets the date and OSHA has published no weekend rollover; in 2027 it falls on a Tuesday. All year, each recordable case goes on the log within 7 calendar days.
How it plays out on site
If you are required to keep records, create the 300A with zeros, certify it, and post it. Deadlines slip when certification waits on data other teams own: payroll hours, headcount, and an executive's calendar. The fix is to plan backward from the posting date, with named owners for hours worked, headcount, the log review, and the signature.
In a small office, recordkeeping often lands on whoever handles the paperwork, so keep it simple: one folder or system, one owner, and a reminder in early January.
The common mistake
Teams often skip the summary because there were no OSHA 300 Log entries.
The same certified totals feed the posted 300A, the ITA submission, and the rates leadership sees, so a late correction in one place has to be carried into all three.
Edge cases
- The question changes if the employer is partially exempt from routine recordkeeping.
- OSHA's ITA keeps accepting prior-year data after March 2, through December 31, but a late submission is still late.
Worked example
A 35-person machine shop had no recordable cases in 2026. The office manager fills in the 300A with zeros, the shop's 34.2 average employees rounded up to 35, and 68,900 hours worked. The owner certifies it, it goes on the board by the time clock, and because machine shops (NAICS 3327) are on Appendix A, the same zero-case data goes to the ITA.
Checklist
- Confirm the establishment must keep records.
- Enter zeros in each column total, plus average employees and hours worked.
- Have a company executive certify it.
- Post it by February 1.
- Submit it to the ITA if the establishment is covered.
What to keep in the case file:
- Dated notes from the year-end log review
- The certified 300A with the executive's name, title, and date
- A photo or record showing where and when the 300A was posted
- The ITA submission confirmation, if the establishment is covered
Where 300log helps
300log keeps each establishment's 300A current as cases are entered, so January is a review rather than a rebuild, and it exports ITA-ready files per establishment. Workspaces that connect an ITA API token can also authorize auto-filing of 300A data.
For a quick answer without an account, use the free deadline calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do You Post OSHA 300A If You Had Zero Recordable Cases?
Yes. If you are required to keep OSHA records, you complete the 300A with zeros in every total, have it certified, and post it from February 1 to April 30. Partially exempt employers do not, and covered establishments still submit the zero-case 300A to the ITA.
Do zero-case establishments have deadlines too?
Yes. If you are required to keep records, you certify and post a 300A with zeros, and covered establishments submit it electronically.
When is the 300A posting deadline for the 2026 log?
Post the certified 300A by February 1, 2027 and keep it up through April 30, 2027.
When is the ITA deadline for 2026 data?
March 2, 2027, for establishments covered by 29 CFR 1904.41. The date comes from the regulation; in 2027 it falls on a Tuesday.
Sources
Primary regulation and agency guidance this article relies on.
- [1]29 CFR 1904.32: Annual summary certification and postingOccupational Safety and Health Administration · osha.gov(opens in a new tab)
- [2]29 CFR 1904.1: Partial exemption for employers with 10 or fewer employeesOccupational Safety and Health Administration · osha.gov(opens in a new tab)
- [3]29 CFR 1904.29: OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301Occupational Safety and Health Administration · osha.gov(opens in a new tab)
Written and reviewed by the 300log Editorial Team. Guidance, not legal advice: confirm edge cases with OSHA or counsel.