OSHA standards,
in plain English.
25 guides, one per standard. Each says what the standard requires in everyday words and cites the regulation paragraph behind every requirement, so you can check it yourself.
Reviewed by Matt Thompson, CSP. Free to read, with no sign-up.
Guides
General industry
29 CFR Part 1910
- 29 CFR1910.22Walking-Working Surfaces in General IndustryWhat OSHA requires for floors, aisles, platforms, and edges in general industry: housekeeping, inspection, repair, fall protection, and training.
- 29 CFR1910.36Exit Routes: Design, Marking, and UpkeepWhat OSHA requires for workplace exit routes: how many, how wide, door rules, signs, lighting, and keeping the path clear.
- 29 CFR1910.38Emergency Action Plans: What Must Be in YoursWhat 29 CFR 1910.38 requires in an emergency action plan: when you need one, the six minimum elements, the alarm system, training, and plan reviews.
- 29 CFR1910.95Hearing Conservation: Noise Monitoring, Audiograms, and Hearing ProtectionWhat 29 CFR 1910.95 requires: noise limits, the 85 decibel action level, monitoring, audiograms, hearing protectors, training, and records.
- 29 CFR1910.132PPE Hazard Assessment and General RequirementsWhat 29 CFR 1910.132 requires for PPE: the hazard assessment, the written certification, employee training, and who pays for the equipment.
- 29 CFR1910.134Respiratory Protection: Programs, Fit Testing, and Medical EvaluationsWhat OSHA's respiratory protection standard requires: a written program, medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and records.
- 29 CFR1910.146Permit-Required Confined SpacesWhat OSHA's general industry confined space rule requires: evaluating spaces, the written program, entry permits, attendants, training, and rescue.
- 29 CFR1910.147Lockout/Tagout: Controlling Hazardous EnergyWhat OSHA's lockout/tagout standard requires: written energy control procedures, locks and tags, training, annual inspections, and safe restart steps.
- 29 CFR1910.151First Aid and Medical Services at WorkWhat OSHA's first aid standard requires: medical advice, trained first aid providers, first aid supplies, and eyewash or drenching facilities for corrosives.
- 29 CFR1910.157Portable Fire Extinguishers: Placement, Inspection, and TrainingWhat 29 CFR 1910.157 requires for portable fire extinguishers: exemptions, travel distances, inspections, hydrostatic testing, records, and training.
- 29 CFR1910.178Forklifts and Powered Industrial Trucks: Operator Training and Safe OperationWhat 29 CFR 1910.178 requires for forklifts: operator training and evaluation, safe operating rules, daily examinations, and removing unsafe trucks.
- 29 CFR1910.212Machine Guarding: General Requirements for All MachinesWhat 29 CFR 1910.212 requires for machine guards, point of operation guarding, revolving drums, fan blades, and anchoring fixed machines.
- 29 CFR1910.252Hot Work: Welding, Cutting, and Brazing Fire PreventionWhat 29 CFR 1910.252 requires for welding and cutting: fire prevention, fire watches, eye protection, confined spaces, and ventilation.
- 29 CFR1910.303Electrical Safety: General Requirements and Wiring MethodsWhat OSHA's general industry electrical rules require for equipment, working space, live parts, temporary wiring, box covers, and flexible cords.
- 29 CFR1910.1030Bloodborne Pathogens: Exposure Control Plans, Vaccination, and TrainingWhat OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard requires: a written exposure control plan, safer work methods, hepatitis B vaccination, training, and records.
- 29 CFR1910.1200Hazard Communication: Labels, Safety Data Sheets, and TrainingWhat OSHA's Hazard Communication standard asks of employers whose workers use chemicals: a written program, container labels, safety data sheets, and training.
Construction
29 CFR Part 1926
- 29 CFR1926.102Eye and Face Protection in ConstructionWhat 29 CFR 1926.102 requires on construction sites: when eye and face protection is needed, device criteria, welding filter shades, and laser goggles.
- 29 CFR1926.451Scaffolding: General Requirements in ConstructionWhat 29 CFR 1926.451 requires for construction scaffolds: capacity, platforms, access, inspection, fall protection, and falling object protection.
- 29 CFR1926.501Fall Protection in Construction: When It Is RequiredWhen construction employers must provide fall protection under 29 CFR 1926.501: the 6-foot trigger, roofs, holes, leading edges, and falling objects.
- 29 CFR1926.503Fall Protection Training in ConstructionWhat 29 CFR 1926.503 requires for construction fall protection training: who trains, what to cover, the written certification, and when to retrain.
- 29 CFR1926.651Excavations and Trenching: Protective Systems and Daily InspectionsWhat OSHA's excavation rules require: cave-in protection, safe exits, utility locating, spoil setback, and daily inspections by a competent person.
- 29 CFR1926.1053Ladders in Construction: Design and Safe UseWhat 29 CFR 1926.1053 requires for construction ladders: load capacity, setup, climbing rules, inspection, and what to do with a defective ladder.
Recordkeeping and reporting
29 CFR Part 1904
The law and enforcement
OSH Act and 29 CFR Part 1903
- OSH Act5(a)(1)The General Duty Clause: OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) ExplainedWhat OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) says, when OSHA uses it, and the four elements OSHA's enforcement manual lists for a general duty violation.
- 29 CFR Part1903What Happens in an OSHA InspectionA plain-English walk through an OSHA inspection under 29 CFR Part 1903: entry, the walkaround, citations, posting, and the deadline to contest.
Articles
See all articlesBackground reading: how the rules are made, who they cover, and what they mean in practice.
Understanding the New OSHA Recordkeeping Rules: A Comprehensive Guide to Compliance
July 19, 2023OSHA's electronic recordkeeping rule took effect January 1, 2024. What the rule requires of employers in high-hazard industries and why it matters.
OSHA and Safety Training: A Requirement for Workplace Safety in the U.S.
July 17, 2023Does OSHA require safety training? Yes. How training requirements are built into OSHA standards and what types of training employers may need.
The Origin of OSHA Standards: A Key to Workplace Safety in the U.S.
July 17, 2023Where do OSHA standards come from? How the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created OSHA and how new regulations are written.
Who is behind OSH Experts
OSH Experts is published by TSG Safety, an OSHA compliance consulting firm led by Matt Thompson, a Certified Safety Professional. The same team builds ShieldSphere, AI-powered EHS software.