LOCAL RULES

Kentucky incident report requirements

Your Kentucky incident report has 4 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The injury reported to the workers' compensation carrier within 3 working days
  • A record of every work injury, fatal or otherwise
  • Every OSHA 301 item, completed within 7 calendar days for a recordable case
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Kentucky gives employers three working days to tell their workers' compensation carrier about any work injury, even an alleged one. The federal OSHA recordkeeping rules apply through Kentucky's OSH Program. Here is each Kentucky rule with a link to the Kentucky Revised Statutes and regulations, and what a Kentucky incident report should record.

Last reviewed October 13, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Incident reportKENTUCKY / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 140 words

Company: Northgate Fabrication
Site: 1840 Industrial Pkwy, shipping dock 2
Date: 10/08/2026, about 2:15pm
Injured: Luis Romero, material handler, warehouse crew
Supervisor: Tom Reilly
...
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4 Kentucky rules on your checklist, including the injury reported to the workers' compensation carrier within 3 working days.

Still to add

  • NeededType of incident
  • NeededCompleted by
  • RecommendedNotes for damage to property, equipment or the environment

Filled in for you

Company or organizationNorthgate Fabrication
Site address or location1840 Industrial Pkwy, shipping dock 2
Date of the incidentOct 8, 2026
Employee or person involved (full name)Luis Romero, material handler, warehouse crew
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What Kentucky requires

  • The employer reports any work-related injury or disease, or alleged one, to its workers' compensation carrier or the party responsible for paying benefits within three working days of being notified of it; the carrier then reports to the Department of Workers' Claims within one weekKRS 342.038 (1), (3)
  • Every employer keeps a record of all injuries, fatal or otherwise, received by its employees in the course of employment; an injury causing more than one day's absence is reported to the Department within one week of its occurrence and knowledge, in the manner the commissioner directsKRS 342.038 (1)
  • The injury report gives the employer's name and the nature and location of its business; the employee's name, age, sex, wages and occupation; the date and hour of the accident; and the nature and cause of the injury, plus anything else the commissioner requires. A supplementary report follows when the disability ends, and also at 60 days if it lasts longerKRS 342.038 (2), (5)
  • The employee (or someone on the employee's behalf) gives the employer notice of the accident as soon as practicable, in writing, with the employee's name and address, the time, place, nature and cause of the accident, the names of witnesses, the nature and extent of the injury and the work being done, signed by the employee or someone for them; a claim is filed with the Department within two yearsKRS 342.185 (1) ยท KRS 342.190
  • An inaccurate notice is still valid unless the employer was actually misled to its harm, and missing or late notice does not bar a claim if the employer or its agent knew of the injury or the delay had a mistake or other reasonable causeKRS 342.200
  • Kentucky's OSH Program requires employers to comply with the federal recording and reporting rules in 29 CFR Part 1904803 KAR 2:181, Section 2 (effective 2026-02-03)

Reporting to the carrier and the Department

Any work-related injury or disease, including one that is only alleged, goes to the workers' compensation carrier within three working days of the employer being notified. The carrier reports to the Department of Workers' Claims within a week. The employer keeps a record of every injury, fatal or not.

The report names the business and its location, the employee's name, age, sex, wages and occupation, the date and hour of the accident, and the nature and cause of the injury. When the disability ends, or reaches 60 days, a supplementary report follows.

The employee's written notice

The injured employee gives written notice as soon as practicable, covering the time, place, nature and cause of the accident, witnesses, the injury and the work being done, and signs it. A notice with mistakes still counts unless the employer was misled, and late notice is excused when the employer already knew. Kentucky OSH applies the federal OSHA recording and reporting rules unchanged.

Common mistakes

  • Waiting a week to tell the carrier when the deadline is three working days.
  • Not reporting an injury because the employer doubts it happened at work.
  • Leaving the witnesses off the employee's written notice.
  • No supplementary report when the disability passes 60 days.
  • Keeping records only for lost-time injuries.

Sources

Last reviewed October 13, 2026. Next review due January 13, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.