Laws have been passed in every jurisdiction requiring facilities to produce and retain records of various kinds. Record retention varies, usually in the range of 3 to 5 years, but it can be as high as 30 years. In some cases, regulations simply specify that records be maintained for the duration of employment. Regardless of the legal requirement for retention, it is strongly recommended that legal counsel be consulted before destroying any records.

Visit the topic Illness and Injuries for information describing OSHA's injury and illness reporting and recordkeeping requirements under 29 CFR 1904 (OSHA 300 Log).