Quick answer: Poor recordkeeping exposes businesses to OSHA penalties, failed audits, and legal liability. The most costly mistakes include incomplete incident logs, missing training documentation, and records that exist but can't be produced on demand. Fixing these gaps requires clear ownership, consistent processes, and regular internal reviews. Most safety professionals know recordkeeping matters. Fewer have a clear picture of where their records actually break down

Most employers think about recordkeeping when something goes wrong — an OSHA inspection, a workers' comp claim, or an incident investigation. By that point, gaps in documentation are no longer just administrative problems. They're liabilities.