What does “FROI (First Report of Injury)” mean?
Short answer
FROI, the First Report of Injury, is the first report of a work injury sent to the workers' compensation insurer. It opens the claim.
Also known as: FROI, first report of injury, employer's first report of injury
What a FROI is
The first report of injury opens the workers' compensation claim. IAIABC says claims administrators use its EDI (electronic) claims standards to send first report of injury and later report (SROI) data to U.S. states.
Each state runs workers' compensation for private employers. So the form, the content and the filing deadline depend on the state and the insurer. A FROI is not a federal form. Check your state's rules and your policy.
FROI and OSHA forms
A FROI and the OSHA 301 have different goals, but OSHA allows an equal form. 29 CFR 1904.29 notes that many employers use an insurance form in place of the 301, or add OSHA's required details to an insurance form.
Example: an employee burns a hand. The supervisor writes the incident report, HR files the FROI with the carrier, and the EHS lead decides if it is OSHA-recordable. Three records, three owners, one event.
Mix-up: filing a FROI does not make a case recordable. Recording a case does not decide workers' compensation eligibility. IncidentKit's insurer and TPA (third-party administrator) data feed is rolling out.
Frequently asked questions
Who files the first report of injury?
The employer reports the injury to its workers' compensation insurer or claims administrator. That party sends claim data to the state where the state asks. Duties differ by state.
How is a FROI different from the OSHA 301?
The FROI starts an insurance claim. The OSHA 301 is an incident report for each recordable case. An insurance form may serve as the 301 if it holds the same information.
Does every injury need a FROI?
That depends on your state's rules and your policy. OSHA recordability is decided separately. Ask your carrier or broker.
Sources
- IAIABC: EDI claims standards (first report of injury)
- U.S. Department of Labor: Workers' compensation
- 29 CFR 1904.29: Forms (OSHA 300, 300-A and 301)
- 29 CFR 1904.0: Purpose (recordkeeping rule)
Reviewed against the sources above on Oct 5, 2026. Rules change: confirm current requirements with the issuing body or your counsel before relying on any summary.
Put the definition to work.
IncidentKit turns these terms into workflow: reports, investigations, corrective actions and packets.