General OSHA Requirements
By Mike Rich- Safety Services Company
Published: July 27, 2011
What is OSHA
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1970 by the OSH Act with the aim of reducing workplace injury and illness.
The act gave OSHA regulation over most private sector workplaces. The act also permitted states to develop and approve their own plans to cover private sector employees as long as they cover public sector employees and they provide protection equivalent to that provided under Federal OSHA regulations.
In states creating their own regulations a portion of the cost is covered by the federal government. To date 22 states and territories operate plans covering both the public and private sectors and five — Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and the US Virgin Islands — operate public employee only plans.
In those five states, private sector employment remains under Federal OSHA jurisdiction. In signing the OSH Act, President Richard Nixon called it "…one of the most important pieces of legislation… ever passed by the Congress of the United States." Morton Corn, the OSHA administrator under President Gerald Ford, said OSHA "was the instrument of a revolutionary law… a new right in the Bill of Rights - the right to a safe and healthful workplace."
Forty years after the adoption of the act the U.S. workplace fatalities have decrease by more than 65 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has almost doubled.
The act gave OSHA regulation over most private sector workplaces. The act also permitted states to develop and approve their own plans to cover private sector employees as long as they cover public sector employees and they provide protection equivalent to that provided under Federal OSHA regulations.
In states creating their own regulations a portion of the cost is covered by the federal government. To date 22 states and territories operate plans covering both the public and private sectors and five — Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and the US Virgin Islands — operate public employee only plans.
In those five states, private sector employment remains under Federal OSHA jurisdiction. In signing the OSH Act, President Richard Nixon called it "…one of the most important pieces of legislation… ever passed by the Congress of the United States." Morton Corn, the OSHA administrator under President Gerald Ford, said OSHA "was the instrument of a revolutionary law… a new right in the Bill of Rights - the right to a safe and healthful workplace."
Forty years after the adoption of the act the U.S. workplace fatalities have decrease by more than 65 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has almost doubled.
Related
- OSHA's 10/30 Hour Program and Training Requirements(July 26, 2011)
- Digging Through Excavation Hazards and Requirements (July 25, 2011)
- Drug use and its impacts on the workplace (July 25, 2011)
Your General Requirements Detailed
The OSHA requirements for businesses can differ greatly from company to company. However, there are some universal requirements that tend to apply to all companies. Here are those basic requirements:
Personal Protective Equipment 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I- OSHA requires all employers to not only provide their employees with personal protection equipment, but to have in place a policy detailing addressing the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
Emergency Action Plan, 29 CFR 1910.38- An emergency action plan describes the actions your employees should take to ensure their safety in a fire or other emergency situation.
The plan at a minimum is required to:
• Include procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency
• Evacuation procedures
• Rescue procedures
• Procedures for accounting for employees
• Identifying those in charge during an incident
The program also must have a training section and identify an emergency action team.
Fire Prevention, 29 CFR 1910.39- OSHA's Fire Prevention regulation is aimed at preventing the outbreak of fire in the workplace.
The standard requires you at a minimum to:
• List of all major fire hazards
• Define proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials and potential ignition
• The type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard
• Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials
• Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials
• The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires;
• The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards
• This plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace and made available for review
Hazard Communication, 29 CFR 1910.1200,- This standard is designed to ensure that employers and employees know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace and how to protect themselves.
Employers with employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace must prepare and implement a written Hazard Communication Program and comply with other requirements of the standard.
Exit Routes, 29 CFR 1910.34 to 1910.37- OSHA at a minimum requires each employer to have two emergency exit routes for prompt evacuation.
Exit routes are required to be located as far away as practical from each other in case one is blocked by fire or smoke. Additional exit routes may be required to facilitate evacuation of larger facilities.
Requirements of exits include:
• Separated from the workplace by fire resistant materials
• Openings must be protected by a self-closing, approved fire door that remains closed or automatically closes in an emergency
• Clear lines of sight to exits
• Signs using plainly legible letters denoting the exit
• Free of explosives or highly flammable furnishings and other decorations.
• Arranged so employees will not have to travel toward a high-hazard area
Walking/Working Surfaces, 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D- Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.
Due to the potential for tragic injury OSHA requires all companies to have in place a policy dealing with walking/working surfaces.
Policies vary from workplace to workplace as different hazards present themselves. In general a policy defines workplace fall hazards, fall mitigation controls and a training policy.
Medical and First Aid, 29 CFR 1910.151- Regardless of the amount of safety training, accidents will occur in the workplace. To handle accidents, OSHA requires employers to have in place a first aid policy.
This policy requires the employer has an adequate first aid kit, training on first aid procedures and more.
Injury/Illness reporting 1952.4- OSHA rules for recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses affect nearly every business in America.
These regulations require you to:
• Obtain a report on every injury or job-related illness requiring medical treatment
• Record each injury or job-related illness on OSHA Form 300
• Prepare a supplementary record of occupational injuries on OSHA Form 301
• Prepare an annual summary using OSHA Form 300A and post it from February 1, and keep it posted until May 1.
• Retain these records for at least five years.
The OSHA requirements for businesses can differ greatly from company to company. However, there are some universal requirements that tend to apply to all companies. Here are those basic requirements:
Personal Protective Equipment 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I- OSHA requires all employers to not only provide their employees with personal protection equipment, but to have in place a policy detailing addressing the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
Emergency Action Plan, 29 CFR 1910.38- An emergency action plan describes the actions your employees should take to ensure their safety in a fire or other emergency situation.
The plan at a minimum is required to:
• Include procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency
• Evacuation procedures
• Rescue procedures
• Procedures for accounting for employees
• Identifying those in charge during an incident
The program also must have a training section and identify an emergency action team.
Fire Prevention, 29 CFR 1910.39- OSHA's Fire Prevention regulation is aimed at preventing the outbreak of fire in the workplace.
The standard requires you at a minimum to:
• List of all major fire hazards
• Define proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials and potential ignition
• The type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard
• Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials
• Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials
• The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires;
• The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards
• This plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace and made available for review
Hazard Communication, 29 CFR 1910.1200,- This standard is designed to ensure that employers and employees know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace and how to protect themselves.
Employers with employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace must prepare and implement a written Hazard Communication Program and comply with other requirements of the standard.
Exit Routes, 29 CFR 1910.34 to 1910.37- OSHA at a minimum requires each employer to have two emergency exit routes for prompt evacuation.
Exit routes are required to be located as far away as practical from each other in case one is blocked by fire or smoke. Additional exit routes may be required to facilitate evacuation of larger facilities.
Requirements of exits include:
• Separated from the workplace by fire resistant materials
• Openings must be protected by a self-closing, approved fire door that remains closed or automatically closes in an emergency
• Clear lines of sight to exits
• Signs using plainly legible letters denoting the exit
• Free of explosives or highly flammable furnishings and other decorations.
• Arranged so employees will not have to travel toward a high-hazard area
Walking/Working Surfaces, 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D- Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.
Due to the potential for tragic injury OSHA requires all companies to have in place a policy dealing with walking/working surfaces.
Policies vary from workplace to workplace as different hazards present themselves. In general a policy defines workplace fall hazards, fall mitigation controls and a training policy.
Medical and First Aid, 29 CFR 1910.151- Regardless of the amount of safety training, accidents will occur in the workplace. To handle accidents, OSHA requires employers to have in place a first aid policy.
This policy requires the employer has an adequate first aid kit, training on first aid procedures and more.
Injury/Illness reporting 1952.4- OSHA rules for recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses affect nearly every business in America.
These regulations require you to:
• Obtain a report on every injury or job-related illness requiring medical treatment
• Record each injury or job-related illness on OSHA Form 300
• Prepare a supplementary record of occupational injuries on OSHA Form 301
• Prepare an annual summary using OSHA Form 300A and post it from February 1, and keep it posted until May 1.
• Retain these records for at least five years.
Common general industry requirements
With the above requirements for all businesses, these are the most common business standards.
Machine guarding-29 CFR 1910 Subpart O- Moving machine parts have the potential to inflect serious injuries, such as amputations, crushed appendages, burns, blindness and more. Do to this extreme danger OSHA requires workplaces where these dangers exist to have in place a machine guarding policy. This policy must address the specific guarding requirements for the equipment used in your workplace. Each individual guarding needs to also have a training policy.
Lockout Tagout 29 CFR 1910.147- Approximately 3 million workers service equipment that puts them at risk of injury if proper lockout/tagout principles are not exercised.
"Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)" refers to specific practices and procedures to protect employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities..
To protect these workers OSHA requires employers to have in a policy defining proper procedure for lockot/tagout, training and more.
Electrical Hazards 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S- Electricity has long been considered one of the deadliest and dangerous workplace hazards. To protect employees working with electricity OSHA requires you to have in place an electrical hazard policy.
This standard requires you identify the unique electrical hazards in your business and put in place policy training against the danger.
Respirators, 29 CFR 1910.134 - An estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million workplaces throughout the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, other diseases, or death.
If your employees are required to have in place respirators OSHA requires you to have in place a policy detailing:
• Maintenance
• Use
• Fit seal
• Selection
• Training
Machine guarding-29 CFR 1910 Subpart O- Moving machine parts have the potential to inflect serious injuries, such as amputations, crushed appendages, burns, blindness and more. Do to this extreme danger OSHA requires workplaces where these dangers exist to have in place a machine guarding policy. This policy must address the specific guarding requirements for the equipment used in your workplace. Each individual guarding needs to also have a training policy.
Lockout Tagout 29 CFR 1910.147- Approximately 3 million workers service equipment that puts them at risk of injury if proper lockout/tagout principles are not exercised.
"Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)" refers to specific practices and procedures to protect employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities..
To protect these workers OSHA requires employers to have in a policy defining proper procedure for lockot/tagout, training and more.
Electrical Hazards 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S- Electricity has long been considered one of the deadliest and dangerous workplace hazards. To protect employees working with electricity OSHA requires you to have in place an electrical hazard policy.
This standard requires you identify the unique electrical hazards in your business and put in place policy training against the danger.
Respirators, 29 CFR 1910.134 - An estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million workplaces throughout the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, other diseases, or death.
If your employees are required to have in place respirators OSHA requires you to have in place a policy detailing:
• Maintenance
• Use
• Fit seal
• Selection
• Training
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