Regulations & Safety Topics

OSHA's mission is to ensure that employees work in a safe and healthful environment by setting and enforcing regulations (called standards) and by providing compliance assistance. Employers must comply with all applicable OSHA standards, which are found at 29 CFR Parts 1901 to 1999. Employers must also comply with the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to keep their workplace free of serious recognized hazards.

Meeting compliance obligations is mandatory to avoid potential fines from OSHA. However, the regulations provide the minimum requirements that employers are expected to meet in order to protect employees. Employers likely want to go beyond their compliance obligations by implementing best practices and taking other steps to keep their employees safe.

While the list varies from year to year, the following standards often are found among OSHA’s Top 10 violations: fall protection, hazard communication (HazCom), scaffolds, respiratory protection, lockout/tagout (LOTO), ladders, powered industrial trucks (PITs), fall protection (training), machine guarding, and personal protective equipment (PPE) – eye and face protection.

There are currently 22 State Plans covering both private sector and state and local government workers, and there are six State Plans covering only state and local government workers. State Plans are monitored by OSHA and must be at least as effective as OSHA in protecting workers and in preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths.