OSHA Daily Log Requirements Explained for Construction Contractors

OSHA does not have a single standard that requires a “daily log” by name for every construction project. However, multiple OSHA standards require daily documentation — including daily excavation inspections, scaffold inspections, and ongoing hazard assessments — that collectively make a structured daily log the most practical way to demonstrate compliance.

Additionally, the OSHA 300 Log is a separate annual recordkeeping requirement for injury and illness tracking. This article covers both the OSHA 300 Log and the broader daily jobsite logs that construction contractors should maintain.

The OSHA 300 Log: Injury and Illness Recordkeeping

The OSHA 300 Log (Form 300) is a federally mandated record that tracks work-related injuries and illnesses. It is separate from a daily construction log but is one of the first documents an inspector will request.

Who Must Maintain an OSHA 300 Log

Employers with more than 10 employees at any point during the previous calendar year must maintain OSHA 300/300A/301 records. Certain low-hazard industries are partially exempt from routine recordkeeping, but construction is not among them. If you are a construction contractor with more than 10 employees, this requirement applies to you.

What the OSHA 300 Log Must Include

• Employee name (or case number for privacy concern cases)
• Job title at the time of injury or illness
• Date of injury or onset of illness
• Location where the event occurred
• Description of the injury or illness, body parts affected, and the object or substance involved
• Classification: death, days away from work, job transfer or restriction, or other recordable case
• Number of days away from work or on restriction

Retention and Posting Requirements

OSHA 300 logs must be retained for five years following the end of the calendar year they cover. The annual summary (Form 300A) must be posted in a conspicuous location from February 1 through April 30 each year and must be certified by a company executive. Failure to post the 300A summary is itself a citable violation.

Daily Construction Logs: What OSHA Standards Require

While no single standard mandates a comprehensive “daily construction log,” several standards require daily documentation activities that are most efficiently captured in a single daily record:

Excavation Daily Inspections (29 CFR 1926.651(k))

A competent person must inspect excavations, adjacent areas, and protective systems daily before the start of work and as needed throughout the shift. These inspections must be documented, noting conditions observed and any corrective actions taken. After rain, vibration, or other potentially destabilizing events, additional inspections are required.

Scaffold Inspections (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3))

A competent person must inspect scaffolds before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect structural integrity (storms, equipment impact, overloading). Documentation of these inspections — including the inspector's name, date, conditions found, and corrective actions — is essential for demonstrating compliance.

Crane Daily Inspections (29 CFR 1926.1412)

Crane operators must perform visual inspections before each shift. Monthly comprehensive inspections must be documented and records maintained for three months. Annual comprehensive inspections must be documented and retained until the next annual inspection.

General Hazard Assessments

OSHA's general duty clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act) requires employers to provide workplaces free from recognized hazards. While not explicitly requiring daily documentation, the most effective way to demonstrate ongoing hazard recognition and abatement is through consistent daily records.

What an Effective Daily Construction Log Should Include

A well-structured daily log serves multiple compliance purposes simultaneously. It captures the information needed for specific OSHA standards while creating a comprehensive record of site conditions and safety management activities.

At minimum, each daily entry should document:

• Date and weather conditions — Weather affects multiple safety considerations (excavation stability, heat illness, electrical hazards during storms). Recording conditions establishes context for decisions made that day.
• Crew count and trades present — Number of workers on site, broken down by trade or subcontractor. This establishes who was present and potentially exposed to any hazards.
• Major activities performed — Brief description of work accomplished. This provides context for what hazards should have been addressed and what safety measures should have been in place.
• Equipment on site — Cranes, lifts, excavators, and other major equipment. Equipment presence triggers specific inspection and documentation requirements.
• Safety observations — Hazards identified during the day, whether through formal inspection or observation. Include both positive observations (compliant conditions) and deficiencies noted.
• Corrective actions taken — For any hazard or deficiency identified, what action was taken, who was responsible, and when it was completed. This is critical for demonstrating responsive safety management.
• Incidents and near-misses — Any injuries, illnesses, property damage, or near-miss events. Include time, location, persons involved, and immediate response.
• Visitors and deliveries — Non-regular personnel on site, including OSHA inspectors, owner representatives, delivery drivers, and utility workers.
• Supervisor signature and date — The person completing the log should sign and date the entry. This establishes accountability and authenticity.

Common Daily Log Mistakes That Create Problems

The value of a daily log depends entirely on its consistency and completeness. Partial logging — keeping records some days but not others — can be worse than no log at all, because it creates a visible pattern of gaps that inspectors notice immediately.

• Skipping weekends and slow days — If work occurs on a Saturday, even with a reduced crew, the daily log should reflect that day. A gap on a day when work occurred suggests that safety oversight was also absent.
• Vague entries — “Work continued” or “normal operations” provides no useful information. Entries should be specific enough that someone who was not on site can understand what happened.
• No negative observations — A log that never records any hazards or deficiencies is not credible. Every active construction site has hazards that are identified and corrected daily. A log that only records positive conditions looks fabricated.
• Batch entries — Writing three days of logs on Friday afternoon is obvious to an experienced inspector. Details fade, specificity drops, and the entries read identically because they were written from memory rather than in real time.
• No follow-up on identified hazards — Noting a hazard without recording the corrective action creates a documented record of a known hazard that was not addressed. This is worse than not documenting the hazard at all.

The Inspection Impact of Inconsistent Daily Records

During an OSHA inspection, daily logs serve as a timeline of your safety management activities. The inspector uses them to evaluate whether you have been consistently identifying and addressing hazards — not just on the day of the inspection, but in the weeks and months prior.

Consistent daily logs support penalty reductions by demonstrating good faith. Under OSHA's penalty calculation methodology, the good faith reduction can lower penalties by up to 25% — but it requires evidence of an organized safety management system. Daily logs are among the most compelling forms of that evidence.

Conversely, the absence of daily records removes a key piece of your defense. If OSHA issues a citation for a hazard that existed on site, you have limited ability to argue that you were actively managing the hazard if you have no contemporaneous documentation to support that claim.

The practical reality is straightforward: a daily log takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The cost of not maintaining one — in potential fines, lost penalty reductions, and weakened defense position — far exceeds the time investment.