Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards and documents related to healthcare.

The General Duty Clause of the OSH Act (the law that created OSHA) requires employers to provide workers with a safe workplace that does not have any known hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious injury.

OSHA Standards

Frequently Cited Standards

OSHA maintains a listing of the most frequently cited standards for specified 6-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. Please refer to OSHA's Frequently Cited OSHA Standards page for additional information. For Health Care and Social Assistance, use NAICS code 62 in the NAICS search box.

Other Highlighted Standards

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)		Related Information
Subpart I – Personal Protective Equipment	1910.132, General requirements	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation Settlement agreements
	1910.133, Eye and face protection	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation
	1910.134, Respiratory protection	Topic page Appendices to standard Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation Settlement agreements State adoption summary
Subpart Z – Toxic and Hazardous Substances	1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs)
	1910.1047, Ethylene oxide	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation
	1910.1048, Formaldehyde	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation
	1910.1096, Ionizing radiation	Topic page Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation
	1910.1200, Hazard communication	Topic page Appendices to standard Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation Settlement agreements
	1910.1450, Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories	Topic page Directives Federal Register notices Letters of interpretation

Additional Directives

• Enforcement Procedures and Scheduling for Occupational Exposure to Workplace Violence. CPL 02-01-058, (January 10, 2017).
• Enforcement Procedures and Scheduling for Occupational Exposure to Tuberculosis. CPL 02-02-078, (June 30, 2015). Provides general enforcement policies and procedures to be followed when conducting inspections and issuing citations related to occupational exposure to tuberculosis (TB).
• Inspection Guidance for Inpatient Healthcare Settings. OSHA Memorandum, (June 25, 2015).

Additional Letters of Interpretation

• Most frequently asked questions concerning the bloodborne pathogens standard. (Updated November 1, 2011).

For specific Patient Handling legislation of various states see the Safe Patient Handling page.

For additional information, see:

• Occupational Asthma. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
• Reproductive Hazards. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page.
• Compliance Assistance Quick Start. OSHA. 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.
  • Health Care Industry. Applies to employers and employees in the health care field.