OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements Every Contractor Must Know in 2025

Every year, OSHA issues thousands of citations to contractors who had perfectly safe job sites — but couldn't prove it. The most common reason? Missing training documentation. OSHA doesn't just care that your workers got trained. They care that you can prove it happened, when it happened, and that workers understood it.

What OSHA Requires You to Document

OSHA's recordkeeping falls under 29 CFR Part 1904 for injury/illness records, and individual standards for training records. For most construction standards, a written record must include:

• Name of each employee trained
• Date of training
• Topics covered
• Name and qualification of the trainer
• Employee signature

How Long Must You Keep Records?

Record Type	Retention Period	Standard
Training records (most)	3 years minimum	Varies
OSHA 300 Log	5 years	29 CFR 1904.33
HazCom training	Duration of employment	1910.1200
Respiratory protection	Employment + 1 yr	1910.134

What Happens When OSHA Shows Up

OSHA will request your training records immediately. If you can't find them, they treat it as if training never happened.

The Problem With Paper Sign-In Sheets

1. Physical loss — papers get wet, lost, or thrown away
2. No proof of comprehension — a signature ≠ understanding
3. Slow retrieval — OSHA won't wait while you search filing cabinets
4. Language gaps — English sheets don't prove Spanish-speaking workers understood