OSHA Health & Safety Training

OSHA's General Duty Clause (GDC) is a cornerstone of workplace safety regulations in the United States. Found in §5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), the General Duty Clause lays out the basic responsibility of the employer to protect employees from the hazards present in the workplace.

The General Duty Clause says:

Each employer—

1. shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees

2. shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under (the OSH Act of 1970).

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), Section 5(a)(1)

OSHA typically cites the General Duty Clause for hazards not necessarily covered by a specific 29 CFR work safety Standard.

Recognized hazards for which OSHA regularly cites employers under the General Duty Clause include:

• Environmental hazards (extreme heat and cold, extreme weather events)
• Workplace violence
• Ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorders
• Combustible dust in a variety of locations
• Particular types of equipment (lasers, nail guns, pressure vessels, ammonia refrigeration systems)

Read more: The OSH Act General Duty Clause and Your Workplace (Lion News)

Every year, OSHA publicizes a ranking of ten health & safety standards that were cited most frequently during inspections of workplaces big and small. This "Top 10" list remains mostly the same from year to year.

See the most recent Top 10 List. 

The 10 Most Cited OSHA Standards 

1. Fall Protection (1926.501)
2. Hazard Communication (HazCom)  (1910.1200)
3. Ladders (1926.1053)
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
5. Lockout/Tagout (i.e., Control of Hazardous Energy) (1910.147)
6. Powered Industrial Trucks (i.e., Forklifts) (1910.178)
7. Fall Prevention Training Requirements  (1926.503) 
8. Scaffolding (1926.451)
9. Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212)

Effective employee training is the bedrock of a strong safely culture. Many OSHA workplace health and safety Standards require training, update training, and/or refresher training for employees at regular intervals.

The list below is not exhaustive, but covers some broadly applicable OSHA Standards that require safety training for employees. These workplace health and safety Standards for general industry employers are found in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910 (29 CFR 1910). OSHA regulations for the construction industry are found in 29 CFR Part 1926.

For more details about which OSHA Standards require health and safety training, check out the OSHA Training FAQ.

• 1910.110(b)(16) requires training for employees who store, handle or work around liquified petroleum gases (LPG). 
• 1910.119(j)(3) lays out rules for training employees who maintain Process Safety Management (PSM) 
• 1910.120(e), (p), and (q) detail the requirements for training personnel covered by OSHA's Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Standard. Find out how needs HAZWOPER training at Lion.com/HAZWOPER

• 1910.132(f) states that employers must train employees who are required to wear PPE. 
  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Online Training
• 1910.134(c)(1) requires employees to receive training on proper respirator use as part of the written respiratory protection program OSHA requires. 

• 1910.147(c)(1) says that employee training must be part of an energy control (lockout/tagout) program.
  Lockout/Tagout Online Training.

Subpart N—Material Handling & Storage 

• 1910.178(l) requires training for employees who operate powered industrial trucks (i.e., forklifts or fork trucks). The regulation also lays out requirements for re-training forklift drivers.

Subpart Z—Toxic and Hazardous Substances 

• 1910.1030(g) requires training for employees with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Annual refresher training is required.
• 1910.1200(h) is the training section of OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard or HCS, sometimes shortened to HazCom. Employees must be trained to recognize and protect themselves from the hazards of chemicals they work with.

For safety professionals: Managing Hazard Communication

For employees: Hazard Communication 

Subpart Z also includes training requirements for employees who may be exposed to specific substances, including asbestos, lead, cadmium, ethylene oxide, cotton dust, 1,2-Dibromo-3-Chloropropane, formaldehyde, Methylene Chloride (MCL), and others. 

For more details about which OSHA Standards require health and safety training, check out the OSHA Training FAQ.