Confused about the new OSHA reporting requirements that go into effect January 1? The agency will take to Twitter on Dec. 11 from 1 – 2 p.m. EST to answer your questions. You can join the Twitter chat and follow the conversation live using the hashtag #Reporting2015.

The new year will usher in a change to what covered employers are required to report to OSHA. Employers will now be required to report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours and all in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours of finding about the incident.

Previously, employers were required to report all workplace fatalities and when three or more workers were hospitalized in the same incident. The updated reporting requirements have a life-saving purpose: they will enable employers and workers to prevent future injuries by identifying and eliminating the most serious workplace hazards.

Employers have three options for reporting these severe incidents to OSHA. They can call their nearest area office during normal business hours, call the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742), or they will be able to report online at www.osha.gov/report_online. For more information and resources, visit OSHA's Web page on the updated reporting requirements and watch OSHA’s new YouTube video, where Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, explains the new reporting requirements.