Compliance Assistance Quick Start
Are you ready to learn more about how to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses and comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, but aren't sure where to start? By following this step-by-step guide, you can identify many of the major OSHA requirements and guidance materials that may apply to your workplace. Small and new businesses may find Quick Start helpful as an introduction to the compliance assistance resources on OSHA's website.
This Quick Start feature is not comprehensive - there may be additional OSHA standards and guidance materials that also apply to your business. If you are in a state with an OSHA-approved state program, you are subject to state occupational safety and health regulations that may have more stringent or supplemental requirements. These state programs also provide compliance assistance services. Please contact your state program for additional information. In addition, you can request a free, confidential on-site consultation from the OSHA On-site Consultation Program.
Disclaimer
This Quick Start feature is not a standard or regulation, and creates no new legal obligations. It is advisory in nature, informational in content, and is intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace through effective compliance and prevention programs adapted to the needs of individual places of employment.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards. In addition, employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm under Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause of the Act. Employers can be cited for violating the General Duty Clause if there is a recognized hazard and they do not take appropriate steps to prevent or abate the hazard.
OSHA maintains this Quick Start feature to enhance public access to information. This feature is continually under development. We will make every effort to keep it current and to correct errors brought to our attention.
This feature includes hypertext pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. While we believe that these external links provide useful information, we do not control this information and cannot guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information developed and maintained by outside sources. Further, the inclusion of pointers to particular items in hypertext is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services offered by the author of the reference or the organization operating the site on which the reference is maintained.
General Industry
This module applies to workplaces that are subject to OSHA's general industry standards, including manufacturing, wholesale, and retail establishments. OSHA's general industry standards also may apply to any industry to the extent that they supplement specific standards for an industry.
Construction Industry
This module applies to employers and workers engaged in construction work, which OSHA defines as construction, alteration, and/or repair, including painting and decorating (29 CFR 1910.12(b)).
