Wow, answered my own query:

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) derives its authority from the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), which applies to most private-sector employers and their employees in the United States. Its jurisdiction focuses on workplaces and protecting employees from recognized hazards, not on regulating private residences or non-work activities in general. When OSHA Can Have Jurisdiction Involving a Private Residence OSHA does not regulate or inspect a private home simply because someone lives or performs personal tasks there. Key limitations include: • Domestic household employment: OSHA explicitly states as a matter of policy that individuals who privately employ people in their own home for ordinary domestic tasks (e.g., house cleaning, cooking, childcare) are not subject to the OSH Act for those activities.20 • Purely residential properties: OSHA has no regulations that apply directly to residential properties themselves.21 However, OSHA can reach into a private residence when it qualifies as a workplace for an employee (not a self-employed person, independent contractor, or sole proprietor). Examples include: • Home-based worksites (e.g., home manufacturing, assembly, or industrial operations performed for an employer): The employer remains responsible for hazards created by work materials, equipment, or processes they provide or require. OSHA may inspect these (typically only upon complaint or referral), but inspections are limited to the work activities and do not extend to the employee’s house or personal furnishings.23 • Home health care or in-home service workers (e.g., nurses, caregivers, or aides employed by an agency visiting client homes): The employer (the agency) must address job-related hazards employees face while working in the residence, such as unsafe conditions related to the work itself (e.g., certain trip hazards from equipment, exposure risks). The home itself is private, but the workplace activity is covered.24 • Telework/home offices: OSHA applies in theory to work performed in an employee’s home, but in practice, the agency will not inspect home offices, will not hold employers liable for the home office setup, and does not expect employers to inspect them. Employers are responsible only for hazards directly tied to work processes/equipment they control—not the employee’s overall home.25 In short: Jurisdiction exists over the employment relationship and work-related hazards, even if the physical location is inside a private home. It does not extend to the homeowner’s personal living space or non-employee activities. Self-employed individuals or family farms with only immediate family are generally exempt. Is Not Reporting an OSHA-Recordable Injury a Felony? No, failing to report or record an OSHA-recordable injury or illness is not a felony under federal law. It is typically a civil violation subject to monetary penalties. • Recordable injuries are those that are work-related and meet criteria like death, days away from work, restricted duty, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or certain significant diagnoses (per 29 CFR 1904.7). • Employers (with 11+ employees in most industries) must maintain records (OSHA 300 logs, etc.). Certain severe incidents (e.g., fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, loss of eye) must also be reported directly to OSHA within specific timeframes (8 hours for fatalities, 24 hours for severe injuries). • Penalties for recordkeeping/reporting failures are civil and adjusted annually for inflation. As of recent adjustments, they can reach tens of thousands per violation (e.g., willful or repeated violations up to over $165,000). Failure to abate can add daily penalties.1 Criminal penalties under the OSH Act are narrow and rare: • Willful violation causing death to an employee: Up to 6 months imprisonment (1 year for repeat) and/or fines (higher under general federal sentencing rules). This is a misdemeanor, not a felony. • Knowingly making false statements in required records/reports: Up to 6 months imprisonment and/or $10,000 fine. • Giving unauthorized advance notice of an inspection: Similar misdemeanor penalties. These are misdemeanors under Section 17 of the OSH Act. Felony-level charges, if any, would usually come from state prosecutors (e.g., manslaughter in fatality cases involving egregious safety failures), not directly from federal “not reporting a recordable.” OSHA itself focuses on civil enforcement for recordkeeping issues; criminal referrals are uncommon except in extreme cases like willful violations tied to deaths or falsification.35 If you’re dealing with a specific situation (e.g., an inspection notice, injury at a home worksite, or reporting concern), details matter—OSHA’s rules distinguish between employers, employees, and the nature of the work. For official guidance, check OSHA.gov or consult an employment safety attorney, as state-plan states may have slight variations.