# First aid (OSHA recordkeeping)

> For OSHA recordkeeping, first aid is only the care on its closed list, like bandages or cleaning a wound. First aid alone is not recordable.

Source: https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/first-aid · Updated Oct 5, 2026

Also known as: first aid treatment, first aid only

## First aid or treatment

OSHA says its list is complete (29 CFR 1904.7(b)(5)(ii)). No other care counts as first aid. Anything beyond the list is medical treatment, and a case with medical treatment is recordable.

| First aid (not recordable on its own) | Medical treatment (recordable) |
| --- | --- |
| Non-prescription medication at non-prescription strength | Prescription medication, or non-prescription medication at prescription strength |
| Tetanus shot | Other shots, such as hepatitis B or rabies |
| Cleaning, flushing or soaking wounds; bandages, gauze, butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips | Stitches, staples or other wound-closing devices |
| Non-rigid supports such as elastic bandages and wraps | Devices with rigid stays or other ways to hold parts of the body still |
| Massage | Physical therapy or chiropractic care |

The list also has hot or cold therapy, temporary support for transport, eye patches, removing splinters or eye foreign bodies by simple means, finger guards, draining a blister and drinking fluids for heat stress.

## Rules that surprise people

Who gives the care does not matter. A doctor who applies a bandage is still giving first aid. Care beyond the list is medical treatment even from a non-professional. Visits for observation or counseling, and tests like x-rays and blood tests, are not medical treatment.

Example: a cashier cuts a finger. The clinic cleans it and applies a bandage. That is first aid. If the clinic closes the cut with stitches, it is medical treatment and recordable.

Mix-up: a case can still be [recordable](https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/osha-recordable) after first aid if it involves days away, restriction or loss of consciousness.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are stitches first aid?

No. Stitches, staples and other wound-closing devices are medical treatment. Butterfly bandages and Steri-Strips are first aid.

### Is taking ibuprofen first aid?

Yes, if it is non-prescription at non-prescription strength. At prescription strength, recommended by a licensed professional, it is medical treatment.

### Is an x-ray medical treatment?

No. OSHA excludes tests like x-rays. But a broken bone found on the x-ray is a significant diagnosis, so the case is recordable.

## Sources

- [OSHA 29 CFR 1904.7: General recording criteria](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904.7)

## Related terms

- [OSHA recordable injury](https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/osha-recordable)
- [DART rate](https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/dart-rate)
- [TRIR (total recordable incident rate)](https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/trir)
- [Lost-time injury](https://incidentkit.ai/glossary/lost-time-injury)

## Related

- [Recordable vs first aid: OSHA's medical treatment test](https://incidentkit.ai/compliance/osha/recordable-vs-first-aid)
- [First aid vs medical treatment: the OSHA recordability line](https://incidentkit.ai/blog/first-aid-vs-medical-treatment-osha)
- [OSHA 300 Log: how to fill it out, column by column](https://incidentkit.ai/compliance/osha/osha-300-log)
- [OSHA recordkeeping guide: Part 1904 for employers](https://incidentkit.ai/guides/osha-recordkeeping-guide)
- [Workplace Injury Report Template (OSHA 301 Aligned)](https://incidentkit.ai/templates/workplace-injury-report)