Overview

• Initial Approval: August 5, 2015 (80 FR 46487)
• State Plan Certification: March 21, 2023 (88 FR 1688)

The Maine Department of Labor implements the Maine State Plan. The main office is located in Augusta.

Coverage

The Maine State Plan covers all state and local government workers in the state. It does not cover federal government workers. Federal government workers, including those employed by the United States Postal Service and civilian workers on military bases, are covered by OSHA. OSHA also exercises authority over private sector employers in the state and federal OSHA standards apply to these workers. A brief summary of the Maine State Plan is included in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 29 CFR 1952.28. OSHA retains the authority to monitor the State Plan under Section 18(f) of the OSH Act.

State Plan Standards

The Maine State Plan has adopted OSHA’s occupational safety and health standards. They generally follow but are not necessarily identical to OSHA standards. Maine has a unique respiratory protection standard and a Video Display Terminal standard.

Enforcement Programs

The Maine Department of Labor conducts workplace inspections. If violations are identified, citations and proposed assessments of penalties are issued. State and local government employers may contest citations and proposed penalties before the Board of Occupational Safety and Health. The Maine Department of Labor enforces a provision prohibiting retaliation for occupational safety or health activity. More information on enforcement can be found on the Maine State Plan website.

Voluntary and Cooperative Programs

The Maine Department of Labor provides free, voluntary, non-enforcement occupational safety and health training and consultation for state and local government and private sector workplaces. More information can be found on the Maine State Plan website.

Informal Conferences and Appeals

The Board of Occupational Safety and Health hears and rules on appeals from citations, notifications, and penalties issued by the enforcement unit. The appeal takes place at the Bureau of Labor Standards which is presided over by a hearings officer. The Board of Occupational Safety and Health will hear the issues and present their findings. More information on the appeals process can be found on the Maine State Plan website.