OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is the US federal agency that sets and enforces workplace safety and health standards. Created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and part of the US Department of Labor, OSHA covers most private-sector employers and workers through inspections, citations, training and outreach.
For safety managers, "OSHA compliance" usually means meeting the specific standards in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, keeping required injury records and maintaining a workplace free from recognized serious hazards.
What Is OSHA?
OSHA was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act), which also created NIOSH as a separate research institute. According to OSHA's About page, the agency's mission is to ensure America's workers have safe and healthful working conditions free from unlawful retaliation. It does this by setting and enforcing standards, enforcing whistleblower anti-retaliation provisions, and providing training, outreach, education and compliance assistance.
OSHA is led by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, who reports to the Secretary of Labor.
Who OSHA covers
The OSH Act covers most private-sector employers and their workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories, either directly through federal OSHA or through an OSHA-approved state plan. Coverage generally does not extend to self-employed individuals, immediate family members of farm employers, or workplace hazards regulated by another federal agency, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Energy or the Coast Guard. State and local government workers are covered only in states with an approved state plan.
Key OSHA Requirements for Employers
OSHA obligations fall into a few broad categories.
The General Duty Clause
Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires each employer to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. OSHA uses this clause to address serious hazards that no specific standard covers, such as some heat stress or workplace violence situations.
Specific standards
OSHA standards are published in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The main parts are:
- 29 CFR 1910: general industry, including lockout/tagout (1910.147), permit-required confined spaces (1910.146), hazard communication (1910.1200) and personal protective equipment (Subpart I).
- 29 CFR 1926: construction, including fall protection (Subpart M) and scaffolds (Subpart L).
- 29 CFR 1915, 1917 and 1918: shipyard employment and marine terminal and longshoring work.
- 29 CFR 1928: agriculture.
Recordkeeping and reporting
Under 29 CFR Part 1904, many employers with more than 10 employees must record work-related injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300 Log, unless their industry is partially exempt. According to OSHA's recordkeeping page, all employers must report a work-related fatality within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
Worker rights and anti-retaliation
Workers have the right to raise safety concerns, request an inspection, receive required training in a language and vocabulary they understand, and see injury records. Section 11(c) of the OSH Act prohibits retaliation against employees who exercise these rights.
Posting
Employers must display the OSHA "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" poster, or the state plan equivalent, where employees can see it.
How OSHA Enforcement Works
OSHA enforces its standards primarily through workplace inspections, which are usually conducted without advance notice.
Why inspections happen
OSHA prioritizes inspections based on risk. Common triggers include imminent danger situations, fatalities and severe injury reports, worker complaints, referrals from other agencies or the media, targeted inspections under emphasis programs focused on high-hazard industries or hazards, and follow-up inspections to verify that cited hazards were corrected.
What happens during an inspection
- Opening conference: the compliance officer explains the reason for the visit and the scope of the inspection.
- Walkaround: the officer tours the relevant areas, observes conditions, interviews workers and may take photos or samples. An employer representative and a worker representative may accompany the officer.
- Records review: the officer may ask for injury logs, written programs and training records.
- Closing conference: the officer discusses apparent violations and possible next steps.
Citations and penalties
If violations are found, OSHA may issue citations classified as serious, other-than-serious, willful, repeat or failure to abate, each with a proposed penalty. Maximum penalty amounts are adjusted for inflation each year, so check OSHA's current penalty page for exact figures. Employers can request an informal conference or contest citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission within the deadline stated on the citation.
OSHA State Plans
The OSH Act allows states to run their own occupational safety and health programs if OSHA approves them. State plans must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and may adopt stricter or additional standards. Some state plans cover both private employers and state and local government workers, while others cover only public employees, leaving private employers under federal OSHA. If you operate in multiple states, confirm which agency has jurisdiction at each location and whether that state has its own rules.
OSHA vs. NIOSH vs. MSHA
- OSHA (Department of Labor) sets and enforces standards for most workplaces.
- NIOSH (CDC, Department of Health and Human Services) conducts research and makes recommendations but has no enforcement authority.
- MSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (Department of Labor), enforces safety and health rules at mines under a separate law, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
Transportation operations may also fall under agencies such as FMCSA for commercial drivers, which is why fleets often manage both OSHA and DOT compliance.
How to Stay OSHA Compliant
- Identify the standards that apply. Map your operations, equipment and chemicals to the relevant parts of 29 CFR, plus any state plan rules.
- Write the required programs. Many standards require written programs, such as hazard communication, lockout/tagout, respiratory protection and an emergency action plan.
- Train workers and document it. Deliver required training at hire, at assignment and at required intervals, and keep records showing who was trained, on what and when.
- Inspect regularly. Conduct workplace inspections and audits to find hazards before an OSHA compliance officer does.
- Keep accurate injury records. Record cases within seven calendar days, post the annual summary and submit data electronically if required.
- Fix hazards and track corrective actions. Assign owners and due dates, and verify that fixes work.
- Involve workers. Encourage hazard reporting and include workers in inspections and investigations.
- Prepare for an inspection. Designate who will meet the inspector and keep key records organized and easy to retrieve.
Common OSHA Compliance Mistakes
- Assuming a small company or low-hazard industry is exempt from all OSHA rules. Recordkeeping exemptions do not exempt you from safety standards.
- Having written programs that do not match actual practice on the floor.
- Missing training documentation, which makes training impossible to prove.
- Misclassifying injuries, such as treating prescription medication as first aid.
- Failing to report severe injuries within 24 hours.
- Correcting a cited hazard at one site but not at similar sites, which can lead to repeat citations.
How SMS360 Helps
The SMS360 Compliance Management module helps teams track the OSHA requirements that apply to each site, assign compliance tasks to owners and receive reminders before deadlines such as training renewals, inspections and annual postings. Records are stored in one place and accessible on mobile devices, and dashboards show what is complete, upcoming or overdue, which makes it easier to respond quickly when an inspector asks for documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does OSHA stand for?
OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It is the agency within the US Department of Labor responsible for setting and enforcing workplace safety and health standards. The term is also used informally to refer to the OSH Act of 1970 and to OSHA standards in general, as in "OSHA requirements" or "OSHA compliance."
Does OSHA apply to small businesses?
Yes. Most private employers are covered by OSHA regardless of size and must comply with applicable safety standards and the General Duty Clause. Employers with 10 or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year are partially exempt from routine injury recordkeeping, but they must still report fatalities and severe injuries and follow all applicable standards.
How do I report a severe injury to OSHA?
Employers must report a work-related fatality within 8 hours and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours. Reports can be made by calling the nearest OSHA area office, calling OSHA's toll-free number, or using OSHA's online reporting form. In state plan states, follow the state's reporting process.
What is the OSHA General Duty Clause?
The General Duty Clause is Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act. It requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. OSHA uses it to cite serious hazards that are not covered by a specific standard.
