---
title: "Understanding Privacy Cases"
slug: "understanding-privacy-cases"
updated: 2025-04-29T20:39:14Z
published: 2025-04-29T20:39:14Z
canonical: "docs.serenityops.com/understanding-privacy-cases"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.serenityops.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understanding Privacy Cases

Some workplace injuries or illnesses involve **sensitive or personally identifiable information (PII)** that should not be visible to all users — or publicly disclosed in regulatory reports. To support this, Serenity includes a **Privacy Case** feature that aligns with **OSHA recordkeeping requirements** for confidential cases.

---

## What Does OSHA Say About Privacy Cases?

According to **OSHA’s Recordkeeping Standard (29 CFR 1904.29(b)(7))**, employers must **withhold the employee’s name** for certain types of injuries or illnesses when recording them on the OSHA 300 Log. These cases are referred to as **privacy concern cases**.

**OSHA defines a privacy case** as any injury or illness that:

- Involves an **intimate body part** or the **reproductive system**
- Results from a **sexual assault**
- Involves **mental illness**
- Is a **needle stick** or cut from a sharp object that may be contaminated
- Is a **HIV, hepatitis, or tuberculosis infection**
- Is **another illness** where the employee voluntarily requests privacy

ℹ️ [Source: OSHA 1904.29(b)(7)](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1904/1904.29)

---

## Enabling a Privacy Case in Serenity

Users with the **Privacy Case Viewer role** can flag any injury as a privacy case directly from the injury report screen.

To enable privacy features:

1. Open the injury record
2. Click the **lock icon** labeled **“Enable privacy case”** (top right corner)

Once enabled, the system will automatically:

✅ Restrict visibility of the injury record to only users with the **privacy case role**

✅ Redact personally identifiable information (e.g., name, contact info) on **OSHA 300** and **300A** forms

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## Managing Privacy Settings

Users with the privacy case role can also:

- Click **“Disable privacy case”** to remove the restriction (if no longer applicable)
- Continue editing and finalizing the report as normal
- See a yellow banner indicating the case is privacy-restricted

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfEmlZKOdkRjBtp0c_Pf_crUXTEI2Yc9IYW4aVxMXIas6auaM8jG3nAfp1X7JM3nhv2b-OfsC7Cw8FGkeY3shdzeZRXYcLhTIjFKnj_bmoJONHArXf2aeE3MUZNeWqjIf27zrYQ?key=0AljBKwI0wYz67ygMJMFFpE5)

🔒 If you're unable to view the details of a privacy case, contact your administrator to verify your **user role** includes **Privacy Case Viewer access**.

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## ✅ Best Practices

- Review each injury for potential privacy sensitivity during intake or review
- Enable the privacy flag immediately if applicable — especially for mental health or reproductive cases

Ensure only trained EHS staff with **privacy clearance** have access to these records