Small Business Safety Management Series

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3151

2000 (Reprinted)

Assessing the Need

for Personal Protective Equipment:

A Guide for Small Business Employers
About This Booklet

The materials in this handbook are based upon the federal OSHA

standards and other requirements in effect at the time of publication, and upon generally accepted principles and activities within

the job safety and health field, but should not be considered as a

substitute for the standards.

This booklet is not intended to be a legal interpretation of the

provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 or

to place any additional requirements on employers or employees.

The material presented herein will be useful to small business

owners or managers and can be adapted to individual establishments.

All employers should be aware that there are certain states (and

similar jurisdictions) which operate their own programs under

agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor, pursuant to section

18 of the Act. The programs in these jurisdiction may differ in

some details from the federal program.

Material contained in this publication is in the public domain and

may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission of the

Federal Government. Source credit is requested but not required.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired

individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999.
Assessing the Need

for Personal Protective Equipment:

A Guide for Small Business Employers

Small Business Safety Management Series

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3151

2000 (Reprinted)
Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1

Who should read this guide? ............................................................................................................. 1

How will this guide help protect my employees?............................................................................... 1

What is personal protective equipment? ........................................................................................... 1

Establishing a PPE Program ................................................................................................................ 2

What is a PPE program?................................................................................................................... 2

How do I develop a PPE program for my company? ........................................................................ 2

The Need for PPE .................................................................................................................................. 3

Who must provide PPE? ................................................................................................................... 3

How do I identify potential hazards in my workplace? ...................................................................... 3

I have identified potential hazards. Now what? ................................................................................ 3

What are work practice and engineering controls? ........................................................................... 3

All feasible engineering and work practice controls are in place, but my employees

 are still exposed to potential hazards. Is now the time to provide PPE? ........................................ 4

How do I get started assessing my workplace operations for PPE needs? ...................................... 4

Eye and Face Protection ...................................................................................................................... 8

When must I provide eye protection for employees? ........................................................................ 8

How do I select the proper protective eyewear for employees? ....................................................... 8

If employees wear eyeglasses with prescription lenses, may I consider these eye protection? ....... 8

What kind of eye and face protectors are there? What are they for? ............................................... 8

Can face shields protect employees instead of goggles or protective spectacles? .......................... 9

How do I choose the correct eye protection from among all the different types?.............................. 9

How dark do lenses on welding helmets and goggles need to be? ................................................ 10

How do I protect employees from exposure to laser beams? ......................................................... 12

How can I be sure that laser safety goggles provide enough protection? ....................................... 14

Once I have selected the appropriate protective eye equipment, how do I make sure

 employees use it properly? ........................................................................................................... 14

My workplace gets pretty dirty. How will my employees keep their protective eyewear

 clean and effective? ...................................................................................................................... 15

My employees work in shifts. Could I provide one pair of protective eyewear for each

 position instead of each employee? .............................................................................................. 15

Head Protection................................................................................................................................... 16

When do my employees need head protection? ............................................................................. 16

What should I look for in head protection? ...................................................................................... 16

What types of head protection are available? ................................................................................. 16

How do I choose the correct protective helmets from among the different types?.......................... 17

I have purchased new hard hats for my employees that meet the ANSI requirements.

Have I fulfilled my responsibility to protect my employees’ heads? ................................................ 17

Could employees wearing hard hats and working at elevations create a potential hazard for

 the employees working below? ..................................................................................................... 18

Can I require employees to cut their hair if it is long enough to get tangled in machinery? ............ 18

Once I have selected helmets to protect my employees’ heads, how do I make sure they

 use them properly? ....................................................................................................................... 18

How do I make sure that the hard hats I provide will be kept in good condition? ........................... 18

iii
Contents (continued)

Foot and Leg Protection .............................................................................................................. 20

When must I provide foot and leg protection? .......................................................................... 20

What are the types of protection and where do I use them? .................................................... 20

What should I look for when choosing safety shoes for my employees? ................................. 21

Conductive Shoes ............................................................................................................... 21

Electrical Hazard, Safety-Toe Shoes .................................................................................. 21

Foundry Shoes.................................................................................................................... 22

Once I have selected equipment to protect my employees’ feet and legs, how do I make

 sure they use it properly? ....................................................................................................... 22

Hand and Arm Protection ............................................................................................................ 23

When must I provide hand and arm protection?....................................................................... 23

What kind of equipment is necessary to protect hands and arms? .......................................... 23

Is there one kind of glove that will protect against all workplace hazards? .............................. 23

What kinds of protective gloves are available? ........................................................................ 23

Metal Mesh, Leather, or Canvas Gloves............................................................................. 23

Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves ....................................................................................... 24

Chemical- and Liquid-Resistant Gloves .............................................................................. 24

How do I make sure my employees properly use the equipment I have selected?.................. 28

Body Protection ........................................................................................................................... 29

When must I provide my employees with full body protection? ................................................ 29

If only part of the body faces potential injury, must I provide my employees with full

 body protection? ..................................................................................................................... 29

From what material should protective clothing be made? ........................................................ 29

How do I make sure employees properly use the body protection I provide? .......................... 30

Hearing Protection ....................................................................................................................... 31

When must I provide hearing protection for my employees? ................................................... 31

Will earplugs reduce employee exposure to high noise levels? ............................................... 31

What if my employees are exposed to different levels of noise throughout the day?............... 31

What kinds of devices protect against high noise levelsl? Is cotton sufficient as earplugs? ... 32

If I provide my employees with hearing protection, can they work in areas with any

 level of noise for any period of time? ..................................................................................... 32

Once I have selected equipment to protect my employees’ hearing, how do I make sure

they use it properly? .............................................................................................................. 32

Once I have provided my employees with hearing protection and training in how to use it,

 how do I know that it is really protecting their hearing? ......................................................... 33

Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 34

Other Sources of OSHA Assistance ........................................................................................... 35

Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines .............................................................. 35

State Programs......................................................................................................................... 35

Free On-Site Consultation ........................................................................................................ 35

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) ...................................................................................... 35

Training and Education............................................................................................................. 36

Electronic Information ............................................................................................................... 36

Emergencies............................................................................................................................. 36

iv
Contents (continued)

States with Approved Plans ........................................................................................................ 37

OSHA Consultation Project Directory ........................................................................................ 39

Other Relevant Addresses .......................................................................................................... 44

OSHA Area Offices ....................................................................................................................... 45

OSHA Regional Offices ............................................................................................................... 51

LIST OF CHECKLISTS

Checklist A: Establishing a PPE Program .................................................................................. 2

Checklist B: Need for PPE ............................................................................................................ 5

Checklist C: Use and Care of Eye and Face Protection........................................................... 14

Checklist D: Use and Care of Head Protection ......................................................................... 19

Checklist E: Use and Care of Foot and Leg Protection ........................................................... 22

Checklist F: Use and Care of Hand and Arm Protection ......................................................... 28

Checklist G: Use and Care of Body Protection ........................................................................ 30

Checklist H: Use and Care of Hearing Protection .................................................................... 33

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Eye and Face Protector Selection Guide ..................................................................... 10

Table 2. Filter Lense for Protection Against Radiant Energy ................................................... 11

Table 3. Selecting Laser Safety Glasses .................................................................................... 12

Table 4. Glove Chemical Resistance Selection Chart ............................................................... 25

Table 5. Permissible Noise Exposures ....................................................................................... 31

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Recommended Eye and Face Protectors .................................................................. 13

Figure 2. Hard Hat ....................................................................................................................... 16

Figure 3. Safety Shoes ................................................................................................................ 21

v
Who should read this guide?

If you employ one or more persons, you should

read this guide.

How will this guide help protect my

employees?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to protect their

employees from workplace hazards such as

machines, work procedures, and hazardous substances that can cause injury. The preferred way to

do this is through engineering controls or work

practice and administrative controls, but when these

controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient

protection, an alternative or supplementary method

of protection is to provide workers with personal

protective equipment (PPE) and the know-how to

use it properly.

This guide will help you to

• Examine your workplace,

• Review the work procedures you require your

employees to follow,

• Select appropriate PPE (except for respirators

and insulating rubber equipment) to protect your

employees, and

• Teach your employees how to wear and care for

the PPE you provide.

This guide will help you comply with OSHA’s

general PPE requirements, but it is not a substitute

for OSHA standards requiring PPE (Title 29, Code

of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1910.132).* This

standard requires employers to establish general

procedures, called a PPE program, to give employees necessary protective equipment and to train

them to use it properly. Respirators and insulating

devices are not included in this guide because

OSHA requires employers to develop separate

programs specifically addressing the issues associated with those types of protective devices (29 CFR

1910.134 and 29 CFR 1910.137, respectively).

Although not specifically directed to construction

and maritime industry, the information, methods,

and procedures in this guide are also applicable to,

and will help you comply with, OSHA’s general

PPE requirements for the construction industry at

29 CFR 1926.95 and for the maritime industry at 29

CFR 1915.152.

Although the checklists and other information

presented in this guide are intended to help you to

the greatest extent possible, please keep in mind

that this publication is general in nature and does

not address all workplace hazards or PPE requirements.

What is personal protective equipment?

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, includes a

variety of devices and garments to protect workers

from injuries. You can find PPE designed to protect

• Eyes,

• Face,

• Head,

• Ears,

• Feet,

• Hands and arms, and

• Whole body.

PPE includes such items as

• Goggles,

• Face shields,

• Safety glasses,

• Hard hats,

• Safety shoes,

• Gloves,

• Vests,

• Earplugs, and

• Earmuffs.

Introduction 1

*To obtain copies of the CFR, see the order form at the end

of this publication.
■ Identify steps taken to assess potential hazards in every employee’s work space and in workplace

operating procedures

■ Identify appropriate PPE selection criteria

■ Identify how you will train employees on the use of PPE, including

■ What PPE is necessary

■ When PPE is necessary

■ How to properly inspect PPE for wear or damage

■ How to properly put on and adjust the fit of PPE

■ How to properly take off PPE

■ The limitations of the PPE

■ How to properly care for and store PPE

■ Identify how you will assess employee understanding of PPE training

■ Identify how you will enforce proper PPE use

■ Identify how you will provide for any required medical examinations

■ Identify how and when to evaluate the PPE program

Checklist A:

Establishing a PPE Program

Respirators and rubber insulating equipment

(gloves, sleeves, blankets) are also considered PPE,

but because OSHA has specific requirements for

those kinds of PPE, this general guide does not

address such equipment. For assistance in determining the need for and the appropriate choice of

respiratory protection for your employees, see

OSHA Instruction CPL 2-2.54, Respiratory

Protection Program Manual.*

What is a PPE program?

This program sets out procedures for selecting,

providing, and using PPE as part of your routine

Establishing a PPE Program

operation. A written PPE program is easier to

establish and maintain as company policy and

easier to evaluate than an unwritten one.

How do I develop a PPE program for my

company?

You have already begun to establish a PPE

program by thinking about how best to protect your

employees from potential hazards. Use Checklist A

for information on establishing a PPE program.

Working through the PPE selection process in this

guide will produce the foundation for your program. Then you will need to decide how to enforce

PPE use at your facility, provide for any required

medical examinations, and evaluate your PPE

program.

2

*CPL 2-2.54, 2/10/1992, on http//:www.osha-slc.gov/. See

Other OSHA Documents, at http://www.osha.gov/ or

contact your nearest OSHA regional or area office listed at

the end of this publication.
Who must provide PPE?

You must provide PPE for your employees if

• Their work environment presents a hazard or is

likely to present a hazard to any part of their

bodies;

OR

• Their work processes present a hazard or are

likely to present a hazard to any part of their

bodies;

OR

• During their work, they might come into contact

with hazardous chemicals, radiation, or mechanical irritants;

AND

• You are unable to eliminate their exposure or

potential exposure to the hazard by engineering,

work practice, or administrative controls.

How do I identify potential hazards in my

workplace?

Begin with a survey of your workplace. Observe

the environment in which your employees work.

Ask employees how they perform their tasks. Look

for sources of potential injury such as the

following:

• Objects that might fall from above.

• Exposed pipes or beams at work level.

• Exposed liquid chemicals.

• Sources of heat, intense light, noise, or dust.

• Equipment or materials that could produce

flying particles.

Checklist B at the end of this section will help

you conduct this survey.

I have identified potential hazards.

Now what?

Determine if there are feasible engineering and

work practice controls that could be used to avoid

hazards.

The Need for PPE 3

If... Then...

You can physically change the machine or You have eliminated the hazard with

work environment to prevent employee an engineering control.

exposure to the potential hazard (adding a

guard to the machine or building a barrier in

the room between employees and the hazard).

You can remove your employees from You have eliminated the hazard with a

exposure to the potential hazard by changing work practice control.

the way they do their jobs.

Employers should institute all feasible engineering, work practice, and administrative controls to

eliminate or reduce hazards before using PPE to protect employees against hazards.

What are work practice and engineering controls?

These controls can be described by the following examples once you’ve identified a potential

hazard on a machine or in the room in which your employees work
All feasible engineering and work practice

controls are in place, but my employees

are still exposed to potential hazards. Is

now the time to provide PPE?

Yes. You must examine each likely hazard very

carefully and determine the nature of the threat the

hazard poses to your employees. Then choose the

appropriate PPE for protection against that hazard,

and make sure that any PPE you choose will fit the

employee(s) who must wear it. Next, train your

employees in the proper use and care of the PPE

you provide.

How do I get started assessing my workplace operations for PPE needs?

Use Checklist B to assess the work environment

and procedures. Keep in mind, though, that this is

not an exhaustive list of operations that could

cause injury. Many workplace operations create

hazards; all of them could not be listed here. If

you don’t find a specific task on the checklist

• Look for similarities between your workplace

operations and those listed here

• Try to anticipate whether such operations also

might create similar hazards, and

• Remember, an operation need only have the

potential to cause injury to require PPE.

Once you have identified the tasks that require

PPE, read the specific sections in the checklist to

help you choose the appropriate PPE for your

employees.

Machine Shop

In a machine shop, a milling operation produces large quantities of metal chips that fly all over the

surrounding work areas. Recognizing that flying metal chips were a potential hazard to employees in

the surrounding areas, the machine shop owner had to decide how best to protect the workers.

Option 1—PPE:

Provide employees with safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields.

Option 2—Engineering and administrative controls:

Enclose the milling operation or install a deflector to contain the metal chips and prevent them from

flying into the surrounding areas (engineering control).

Operate the machine only at certain times of the day when adjacent operations have stopped

(administrative/work practice control).

Option 2 is more effective since enclosing the operation will eliminate the hazard of flying metal

chips. Providing a deflector will contain most, if not all, of the flying chips. In a machine shop,

however, safety glasses should also be required for added protection.

4 The Need for PPE
The Need for PPE

Suggested Questions Typical Operations

of Concern Yes No

Do employees perform tasks, or work near Sawing, cutting, drilling, sanding,

employees who perform tasks, that might grinding, hammering, chopping,

produce airborne dust or flying particles? abrasive blasting, and punch press ■ ■

operations.

Do your employees handle, or work near Pouring, mixing, painting, cleaning,

employees who handle, hazardous liquid syphoning, dip tank operations, and

chemicals or encounter blood splashes? dental and health care services. ■ ■

Are your employees’ eyes exposed to other Battery charging, installing fiberglass

potential physical or chemical irritants? insulation, and compressed air or gas ■ ■

operations.

Are your employees exposed to intense light Welding, cutting, and laser

or lasers? operations. ■ ■

Do your employees handle, or work near Pouring, mixing, painting, cleaning,

employees who handle, hazardous liquid syphoning, and dip tank operations. ■ ■

chemicals?

Are your employees’ faces exposed to Welding, pouring molten metal,

extreme heat? smithing, baking, cooking, and

drying. ■ ■

Are your employees’ faces exposed to other Cutting, sanding, grinding,

potential irritants? hammering, chopping, pouring,

mixing, painting, cleaning, and

syphoning. ■ ■

Might tools or other objects fall from above Work stations or traffic routes located

and strike your employees on the head? under catwalks or conveyor belts,

construction, trenching, and utility

work. ■ ■

Checklist B:

Need for PPE

Eyes

Face

Head

5
When your employees stand or bend, Construction, confined space

are their heads near exposed beams, machine operations, and building

parts, or pipes? maintenance. ■ ■

Do your employees work with or near Building maintenance; utility work;

exposed electrical wiring or components? construction; wiring; work on or near

communications, computer, or other

high-tech equipment; and arc or

resistance welding. ■ ■

Could tools, heavy equipment, or other Construction, plumbing, smithing,

objects roll, fall onto, or strike your building maintenance, trenching,

employees’ feet? utility work, and grass cutting. ■ ■

Do your employees work with or near Building maintenance; utility work;

exposed electrical wiring or components? construction; wiring; work on or near

communications, computer, or other

high-tech equipment; and arc or

resistance welding. ■ ■

Do your employees work with explosives or Demolition, explosives

in explosive atmospheres? manufacturing, grain milling, spray

painting, abrasive blasting, and work

with highly flammable materials ■ ■

Do your employees’ hands come into Grinding, sanding, sawing,

contact with tools or materials that might hammering, and material handling. ■ ■

scrape, bruise, or cut?

Do your employees handle chemicals that Pouring, mixing, painting, cleaning,

might irritate skin, or come into contact syphoning, dip tank operations, and

with blood? health care and dental services. ■ ■

Do work procedures require your employees Welding, pouring molten metal,

to place their hands and arms near extreme smithing, baking, cooking, and

heat? drying. ■ ■

Suggested Questions Typical Operations

of Concern Yes No

Feet

Hands

6 The Need for PPE

Checklist B:

Need for PPE (continued)
Are your employees’ hands and arms placed Building maintenance; utility work;

near exposed electrical wiring or construction; wiring; work on or near

components? communications, computer, or other

high-tech equipment; and arc or

resistance welding. ■ ■

Are your employees’ bodies exposed to Pouring, mixing, painting, cleaning,

irritating dust or chemical splashes? syphoning, dip tank operations,

machining, sawing, battery charging,

installing fiberglass insulation, and

compressed air or gas operations. ■ ■

Are your employees’ bodies exposed to Cutting, grinding, sanding, sawing,

sharp or rough surfaces? glazing, and material handling. ■ ■

Are your employees’ bodies exposed to Welding, pouring molten metal,

extreme heat? smithing, baking, cooking, and

drying. ■ ■

Are your employees’ bodies exposed to Pouring, mixing, painting, cleaning,

acids or other hazardous substances? syphoning, and dip tank operations. ■ ■

Are your employees exposed to loud noise Machining, grinding, sanding, work

from machines, tools, or music systems? near conveyors, pneumatic

equipment, generators, ventilation

fans, motors, and punch and brake

presses. ■ ■

Suggested Questions Typical Operations

of Concern Yes No

The Need for PPE

Body

Ears/Hearing

THE NEED FOR PPE

7

Checklist B:

Need for PPE (continued)
Eye and Face Protection

When must I provide eye protection

for employees?

You must provide eye protection for employees

whenever they are exposed to potential eye injuries

during their work if work practice or engineering

controls do not eliminate the risk of injury. Some

of the things that might cause eye injuries include

the following:

• Dust and other flying particles, such as metal

shavings or wool fibers.

• Molten metal that might splash.

• Acids and other caustic liquid chemicals that

might splash.

• Blood and other potentially infectious body

fluids that might splash, spray, or splatter.

• Intense light such as that created by welding

arcs and lasers.

How do I select the proper protective

eyewear for employees?

Begin with the following criteria:

• Eye protection must protect against the specific

hazard(s) encountered in the workplace.

• It must be reasonably comfortable to wear.

• Eye protection must not restrict vision or movement.

• Eye protection must be durable and easy to

clean and disinfect.

• Eye protection must not interfere with the

function of other required PPE.

In addition, the American National Standards

Institute, Inc. (ANSI)* has issued standard requirements for the design, construction, testing, and use

of protective devices for eyes and face.

OSHA requires that all protective eyewear you

purchase for your employees meet the requirements

of ANSI Z87.1-1989 for devices purchased after

July 5, 1994, and ANSI Z87.1-1968 for devices

purchased before that date.**

If employees wear eyeglasses with prescription lenses, may I consider these

eye protection?

No. Eyeglasses designed for ordinary wear do

not provide the level of protection necessary to

protect against workplace hazards. Special care

must be taken when choosing eye protectors for

employees who wear eyeglasses with corrective

lenses such as the following:

• Prescription spectacles, with side shields and

protective lenses meeting the requirements of

ANSI Z87.1, that also correct the individual

employee’s vision.

• Goggles that can fit comfortably over corrective

eyeglasses without disturbing the alignment of

the eyeglasses.

• Goggles that incorporate corrective lenses

mounted behind protective lenses.

You also must provide protective eyewear to

employees who wear contact lenses and are exposed to potential eye injury. Eye protection

provided to these employees may also incorporate

corrective eyeglasses. Thus, if an employee must

don eyeglasses in the event of contact lens failure

or loss, he or she will still be able to use the same

protective eyewear.

What kind of eye and face protectors are

there? What are they for?

• Safety spectacles. These protective eyeglasses

are made with safety frames constructed of

metal and/or plastic and are fitted with either

corrective or plano impact-resistant lenses.

They come with and without side shields, but

most workplace operations will require side

shields.

•Impact-resistant spectacles. This eyewear can

be used for moderate impact from particles

produced by such jobs as carpentry, woodworking, grinding, and scaling.

• Side shields. These protect against particles

that might enter the eyes from the side. Side

shields are made of wire mesh or plastic. Eyecup type side shields provide the best protection.

8

*ANSI, 11 West 42nd St., New York, NY 10035.

**ANSI, Z87.1, Occupational and Educational Eye and

Face Protection.
• Goggles. You may choose from many different

types of goggles, each designed for specific

hazards. Generally, goggles protect eyes, eye

sockets, and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes from impact, dust, and

splashes. Some goggles fit over corrective

lenses.

• Welding shields. Constructed of vulcanized

fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a filtered lens,

these protective devices are designed for the

specific hazards associated with welding.

Welding shields protect your employees’ eyes

from burns caused by infrared or intense radiant

light, and they protect face and eyes from flying

sparks, metal spatter, and slag chips produced

during welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting.

See Table 1 for assistance in choosing the

appropriate filter for your employees’ tasks.

• Laser safety goggles. Laser safety goggles

provide a range of protection against the intense

concentrations of light produced by lasers. The

type of laser safety goggles you choose will

depend upon the equipment and operating

conditions in your workplace. Table 2 of this

document and Chapter II:6, “Laser Hazards,” in

the OSHA Technical Manual* will help you

select the appropriate protection for your employees.

• Face shields. These transparent sheets of

plastic extend from the brow to below the chin

across the entire width of the employee’s head.

Some are polarized for glare protection. Choose

face shields to protect your employees’ faces

from nuisance dusts and potential splashes or

sprays of hazardous liquids.

Can face shields protect employees

instead of goggles or protective

spectacles?

Face shields do not protect employees from

impact hazards. You may use however, face shields

in combination with goggles or safety spectacles, to

protect against impact hazards, even in the absence

of dust or potential splashes, for additional protection beyond that offered by goggles or spectacles

alone.

How do I choose the correct eye protection from among all the different types?

Each kind of protective eyewear is designed to

protect against specific hazards. By completing the

hazard assessment of your workplace outlined in

the previous section, you will identify the specific

workplace hazards that pose a threat to your employees’ eyes and faces. Tables 1 through 3 and

Figure 1 will help you find the protective devices

most suited for your employees and your workplace. Locate the operations and hazards most

similar to those in your workplace in Table 1 and

match the number to the corresponding drawing in

Figure 1. Welding and laser operations require

lenses to be tinted to a degree sufficient to protect

against the specific intensity of light present during

that tasks your employees perform (see Tables 2

and 3).

9

*TED1-0.15A, January 20, 1999. See OSHA Technical

Manual under Other OSHA Documents at

http//:www.osha.gov. Copies of the manual may also be

purchased from the Superintendent of Documents,

Goernment Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The

price of the subscription is $40 and the order number is

929-060-0000-8. GPO’s phone number is (202) 512-1800;

the fax number is (202) 512-2250.

Eye and Face Protection
Operation Hazards Recommended protectors:

(numbers refer to Figure 1)

Acetylene-burning, acetylene- Sparks, harmful rays, 7,8,9

cutting, acetylene-welding molten metal, flying particles

Chemical handling Splash, acid burns, fumes 2,10 (for severe exposure add 10 over 2)

Chipping Flying particles 1,3,4,5,6,7A,8A

Electric (arc) welding Sparks, intense rays, molten metal 9,11 (11 in combination with 4,5,6 in

tinted lenses advisable)

Furnace operations Glare, heat, molten metal 7,8,9 (for severe exposure add 10)

Grinding - light Flying particles 1,3,4,5,6,10

Grinding - heavy Flying particles 1,3,7A,8A (for severe exposure add 10)

Laboratory Chemical splash, glass breakage 2 (10 when in combination with 4,5,6)

Machining Flying particles 1,3,4,5,6,10

Molten metals Heat, glare, sparks, splash 7,8 (10 in combination with 4,5,6 in

tinted lenses)

Spot welding Flying particles, sparks 1,3,4,5,6,10

Eye and Face Protection

Source: 29 CFR 1926.102(a)(5)

How dark do lenses on welding helmets

and goggles need to be?

The intensity of light or radiant energy produced

by welding, cutting, or brazing operations varies

according to a number of factors including the task

producing the light, the electrode size, and the arc

current. Table 2 shows the minimum protective

shade for a variety of welding, cutting, and brazing

operations. To protect employees who are exposed

to intense radiant energy, begin by selecting a shade

too dark to see the welding zone. Then try lighter

shades until you find one that allows a sufficient

view of the welding zone without going below the

minimum protective shade.

Table 1.

Eye and Face Protector Selection Guide

10
Eye and Face Protection 11

Source: 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(5).

*As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which gives sufficient view

of the weld zone without going below the minimum. In oxyfuel gas welding or cutting where the torch produces a high yellow light,

it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the yellow or sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation.

** These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters may be used when the arc is

hidden by the workpiece.

Table 2.

Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy

Operations Electrode size in Arc current Minimum* protective

1/32” (0.8mm) shade

Shielded metal arc <3 <60 7

welding 3-5 60-160 8

5-8 160-250 10

>8 250-550 11

Gas metal-arc welding <60 7

and flux-cored arc 60-160 10

welding 160-250 10

250-500 10

Gas tungsten-arc <50 8

welding 50-150 8

150-500 10

Air carbon arc cutting (light) <500 10

(heavy) 500-1,000 11

Plasma arc welding <20 6

20-100 8

100-400 10

400-800 11

Plasma arc cutting (light)** <300 8

(medium)** 300-400 9

(heavy)** 400-800 10

Torch blazing 3

Torch soldering 2

Carbon arc welding 14

Gas welding:

Light <1/8 <3.2 4

Medium 1/8-1/2 3.2-12.7 5

Heavy >1/2 >12.7 6

Oxygen cutting:

Light <1 <25 3

Medium 1-6 25-150 4

Heavy >6 >150 5
Eye and Face Protection

How do I protect employees from

exposure to laser beams?

You must provide safety goggles specifically

designed to protect the employees’ eyes from the

specific intensity of light produced by the laser.

The level of protection will vary according the level

of radiation emitted by the laser. If your employees

are exposed to laser beams, you must determine the

maximum power density, or intensity, that the lasers

can produce.* Based on this knowledge, you must

select lenses that will protect against this maximum

intensity. Table 3 shows the minimum optical

density of lenses required for various laser intensities. Employers with lasers emitting radiation

between two measures of power density (or light

blocking capability) must provide lenses that offer

protection against the higher of the two intensities.

Intensity, CW maximum power Optical density (O.D.) Attenuation factor

 density (watts/cm2

)

10-2 5 105

10-1 6 106

1 7 107

10 8 108

Table 3.

Selecting Laser Safety Glass

Source: 29 CFR 1926.102(b)(2)(i)

12

*The manufacturer usually provides this information on the laser.
Eye and Face Protection 13

Figure 1. Recommended Eye and Face Protectors

Eye and face protectors are identified below

by number and type. Refer to Table 1 for

recommended usage applications.

1. Goggles, flexible fitting, regular

ventilation

2. Goggles, flexible fitting, hooded

ventilation

3. Goggles, cushioned fitting, rigid body

4. Spectacles, metal frame, with side shields*

5. Spectacles, plastic frame, with side shields*

6. Spectacles, metal-plastic frame, with

flatfold side shields*

7. Welding Goggles, eyecup type, tinted

lenses**

7A. Chipping Goggles, eyecup type, clear

 safety lenses (not illustrated)

8. Welding Goggles, coverspec type,

tinted lens**

8A.Chipping Goggles, coverspec type,

clear safety lenses (not illustrated)

9. Welding Goggles, coverspec type,

tinted plate lens**

10. Face Shield (available with plastic or

mesh window, tinted/transparent)

11. Welding Helmets**

Source: 29 CFR 1926.102 (a)(5) Table E-1.

*These are also available without side shields for limited use requiring only frontal protection.

** See Table 2, Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy.

1 23

4 5 67

8 9 10 11
Eye and Face Protection

How can I be sure that laser safety goggles

provide enough protection?

Every pair of safety goggles intended for use with

laser beams must bear a label with the following

information:

• The laser wavelengths for which they are intended to be used.

• The optical density of those wavelengths.

• The visible light transmission.

Train your employees to know...

■ Why eye protection is necessary—i.e., the workplace

 hazards that threaten their eyes

■ How the eye protection will protect them

■ The limitations of the eye protection

■ When they must wear the eye protectors

■ How to put the protective eyewear on properly

■ How to adjust straps and other parts for a comfortable and effective fit

■ How the protective eyewear fits over or contains an employee’s corrective lenses

■ How to identify signs of wear such as

■ Chipped, scratched, or scraped lenses

■ Loss of elasticity or fraying of head bands

 ■ How to clean and disinfect the safety eyewear

Checklist C:

Use and Care of Eye and Face Protection

Once I have selected the appropriate eyeprotection equipment, how do I make

sure employees use it properly?

Train your employees to use the protective

eyewear. Checklist C will help you prepare your

employees to use and care for the eye protection

you provide.

14
My workplace gets pretty dirty. How will

my employees keep their protective

eyewear clean and effective?

Train your employees how to clean the eye

protectors. Allow them time at the end of their

shifts to do the following:

• Disassemble goggles or spectacles,

• Thoroughly clean all parts with soap and warm

water,

• Carefully rinse off all traces of soap, and

• Replace all defective parts.

Occasionally, you must disinfect the protective

eyewear. To do so, after cleaning you can do the

following:

• Immerse and swab all parts for 10 minutes in a

germicidal solution.

• Remove all parts from the solution and hang in a

clean place to air dry at room temperature or

with heated air.

• Do not rinse the parts after submerging them in

the disinfectant. Rinsing will remove the

germicidal residue that remains after drying.

• You may also use ultraviolet disinfecting and

spray-type disinfecting solutions after washing.

My employees work in shifts. Could I

provide one pair of protective eyewear for

each position instead of each employee?

Yes. If you do this, however, you must disinfect

shared protective eyewear after each use. If the

goggles or spectacles do not have to be individually

designed to incorporate an employee’s corrective

lenses and you disinfect the eyewear between uses

by different employees, more than one employee

may use the same set of protective eyewear.

If a Wood Chip Chips...

Eight employees work four at a time during

two shifts in a custom woodworking shop.

During the course of their shifts, the employees might saw, lathe, sand, and finish wood.

Before beginning shop operations, their

employer conducted a hazard assessment and

determined that flying sawdust and wood chips

presented an impact hazard to workers’ eyes.

In addition, stains, polyurethane finishes, and

liquid waxes might splash into employees’

eyes.

The employer purchased four flexible-fitting,

ventilated goggles to be shared by employees

on different shifts. The employer trained each

employee to use and care for the goggles and

required the employees to wear them when in

the shop. In addition, the employer made face

shields available for employee comfort and

added protection.

During the final 15 minutes of each shift,

employees wash the goggles they wore in

warm water and soap. After rinsing the goggles

clean, the employees douse them in disinfecting solution for 10 minutes and then place

them under a blower to dry before the next

shift arrives to don the goggles.

Eye and Face Protection 15
1 1/4" Safety zone

Figure 2. Hard Hat

Head Protection

When do my employees need head

protection?

You must provide head protection for your

employees if:

• Objects might fall from above and strike them

on the head;

• They might bump their heads against fixed

objects, such as exposed pipes or beams; or

• They work near exposed electrical conductors.

What should I look for in head

protection?

In general, protective helmets, or hard hats, should

• Resist penetration by objects,

• Absorb the shock of a blow,

• Be water resistant and slow burning, and

• Come with instructions explaining proper

adjustment and replacement of the suspension

and headband.

Hard hats require a hard outer shell and a shockabsorbing lining. The lining should incorporate a

head band and straps that suspend the shell from 1

to 11

/

4

 inches (2.54 cm to 3.18 cm) away from the

user’s head. This design provides shock absorption during impact and ventilation during wear.

*ANSI Z89.1, Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers.

As with devices designed to protect eyes, the

design, construction, testing, and use of protective

helmets must meet standards established by ANSI.

Protective helmets purchased after July 5, 1994,

must comply with ANSI Z89.1-1986,* whereas,

those purchased before this date must meet the

ANSI Z89.1-1969 standard.

What types of head protection are

available?

Hard hats are divided into three industrial classes:

• Class A. These helmets are for general service.

They provide good impact protection but limited

voltage protection. They are used mainly in

mining, building construction, shipbuilding,

lumbering, and manufacturing.

• Class B. Choose Class B helmets if your

employees are engaged in electrical work. They

protect against falling objects and high-voltage

shock and burns.

• Class C. Designed for comfort, these lightweight helmets offer limited protection. They

protect workers from bumping against fixed

objects but do not protect against falling objects

or electric shock.

Look at the inside of any protective helmet you

are considering for your employees, and you should

see a label showing the manufacturer’s name, the

ANSI standard it meets, and its class. Figure 2

shows the basic design of hard hats.

16
The Sky is Falling...

An employer contracted with cable television

providers to string coaxial cable on utility

poles. The employer hired work crews of two.

Generally, one employee worked aloft in an

aerial lift, or cherry picker, while the other

employee worked at ground level. Employees

alternated these tasks.

The employer’s assessment determined that,

among other hazards, certain aspects of the

work posed a potential for head injuries.

Ground-level employees risked being struck

by falling tools from the work basket above, as

well as from the basket and the lift boom when

they maneuvered into position. Employees

aloft risked impact with utility poles and highvoltage electrical transformers.

Employees with long hair faced additional

hazards. On the ground, long hair could get

tangled in lift machinery. On the lift, the wind

could blow long hair and tangle it with cables

and electrical hazards.

To protect employees’ heads, the employer

provided Class B hard hats. These helmets

protect against impact and contact with electrical hazards. The employer also issued bandanas

of sufficient size to cover the long hair of

employees.

As part of initial training, the employer

introduced all new employees to the reasons

why they must wear hard hats and the procedures for the proper care and maintenance of

the hard hats. In addition, the employer periodically reviews these procedures with employees

during refresher training sessions.

How do I choose the correct protective

helmets from among the different types?

Each kind of protective helmet is designed to

protect against specific hazards. By completing the

hazard assessment outlined above, you will identify

the specific workplace hazards that pose a threat to

your employee’s head.

I have purchased new hard hats that meet

the ANSI requirements. Have I fulfilled

my responsibility to protect my

employees’ heads?

No. Issuing appropriate head protection to

employees is a major first step, but you must make

sure that the hard hats continue to provide sufficient

protection to your employees. Do this by training

your employees in the proper use and maintenance

of hard hats including daily inspection of them. If

your employees identify any of the following

defects, remove the hard hats from service:

• The suspension system shows signs of

deterioration such as:

– Cracking,

– Tearing, or

– Fraying.

• The suspension system no longer holds the shell

from 1 inch to 11

/

4

 inches (2.54cm - 3.18cm)

away from the employee’s head.

• The brim or shell is cracked, perforated, or

deformed.

• The brim or shell shows signs of exposure to

heat, chemicals, ultraviolet light, or other

radiation. Such signs include:

– Loss of surface gloss,

– Chalking, or

– Flaking (a sign of advanced

 deterioration).

Head Protection 17
Head Protection

Could employees wearing hard hats and

working at elevations create a potential

hazard for the employees working below?

To protect employees working below, you must

provide chin straps for the protective helmets worn

by employees working at higher elevations,

whether in an aerial lift or at the edge of a pit. The

chin straps should be designed to prevent the hard

hats from being bumped off the employees’ heads.

Can I require employees to cut their hair if

it is long enough to get tangled in

machinery?

Long hair (longer than four inches) can be drawn

into machine parts such as chains, belts, rotating

devices, suction devices, and blowers. Hair may

even be drawn into machines otherwise guarded

with mesh. Although you need not require your

employees to cut their hair, you must require them

to cover and protect their hair with bandanas, hair

nets, turbans, soft caps, or the like. These items,

however, must not themselves present a hazard.

Once I have selected helmets to protect

my employees’ heads, how do I make

sure they use them properly?

Train your employees to use the hard hats.

Checklist D will help you instruct your employees

to use and care for the head protection you provide.

How do I make sure that the hard hats I

provide will be kept in good condition?

You must train your employees to maintain and

care for the head protection. Your training communicates the importance of wearing head protection

and taking proper care of it. Important information

you will want to consider when training employees

on how to care for their hard hats includes the

following:

• Paints, paint thinners, and some cleaning agents

can weaken the shell of the hard hat and may

eliminate electrical resistance. Consult the

helmet manufacturer for information on the

effects of paint and cleaning materials on their

hard hats. Keep in mind that paint and stickers

can also hide signs of deterioration in the hard

hat shell. Limit their use.

• Ultraviolet light and extreme heat, such as that

generated by sunlight, can reduce the strength of

the hard hats. Therefore, employees should not

store or transport hard hats on the rear-window

shelves of automobiles or otherwise in direct

sunlight.

Also, instruct employees to clean the protective

helmets periodically by:

• Immersing for one minute in hot (approximately

1400

 F, or 600 C) water and detergent,

• Scrubbing, and

• Rinsing in clear hot water.

18
Checklist D:

Use and Care of Head Protection

Head Protection 19

Train your employees to know...

■ Why head protection is necessary—i.e., the workplace

 hazards threatening their heads

■ How the head protection will protect them

■ The limitations of the head protection

■ When they must wear the head protection

■ How to wear the protective head gear properly

■ How to adjust straps and other parts for a comfortable and effective fit

How to identify signs of wear, such as

■ Cracked, torn, frayed, or otherwise deteriorated suspension systems

■ Deformed, cracked, or perforated brims or shells

■ Flaking, chalking, or loss of surface gloss

■ How to clean and disinfect the hard hats you provide for them.
Foot and Leg Protection

When must I provide foot and leg

protection?

You must provide foot and leg protection if your

workplace hazard assessment reveals potential dangers

to these parts of the body. Some of the potential

hazards you might identify include the following:

• Heavy objects such as barrels or tools that might

roll onto or fall on employees’ feet.

• Sharp objects such as nails or spikes that might

pierce the soles or uppers of ordinary shoes.

• Molten metal that might splash on feet or legs.

• Hot or wet surfaces.

• Slippery surfaces.

What are the types of protection and where

do I use them?

The type of foot and leg protection you provide your

employees will depend upon the specific workplace

hazards you identify and the specific parts of the feet

or legs exposed to potential injury. Safety footwear

must meet minimum compression and impact performance standards and testing requirements established

by ANSI. Protective footwear purchased after July 5,

1994, must meet the requirements of ANSI Z41-

1991.* Protective footwear bought before that date

must comply with ANSI Z41-1967. Foot and leg

protection choices includes the following:

• Leggings. Use these to protect the lower legs and

feet from heat hazards, like molten metal or

welding sparks. Safety snaps allow leggings to be

removed quickly.

• Metatarsal guards. Made of aluminum, steel,

fiber, or plastic, these guards may be strapped to

the outside of shoes to protect the instep area from

impact and compression.

• Toe guards. Toe guards may be made of steel,

aluminum, or plastic. They fit over the toes of

regular shoes. These guards protect only the toes

from impact and compression hazards.

• Combination foot and shin guards. These

guards may be used in combination with toe

guards when greater protection is needed.

• Safety shoes. These sturdy shoes have impactresistant toes and heat-resistant soles that protect

against hot work surfaces common in roofing,

paving, and hot metal industries. The metal insoles

of some safety shoes protect against puncture

wounds. Safety shoes may also be designed to be

electrically conductive to prevent the buildup of

static electricity in areas with the potential for

explosive atmospheres, or nonconductive to

protect workers from workplace electrical hazards.

A Shoe Thing...

A small foundry employs workers to cast metal rods. Although engineering controls and work practice procedures eliminated most employee exposure to molten metal, a hazard assessment conducted by

the employer revealed that during pouring, spatters of the molten metal could reach employees’ legs

and feet. In addition, the wheels of the material handling equipment that lift the rods pass near employee work areas and constitute a compression hazard to employees’ feet.

The employer provided employees with leggings and foundry shoes. The leggings fit over the shoes

and provide protection against molten metal spatters to the employees’ legs, while the shoes keep the

burning material from making contact with employees’ feet. The mandatory safety toes built into the

foundry shoes provide protection against the possibility that heavy machinery could injure employees if

it rolls onto their feet.

The employer also trained employees to use and care for the protective gear properly, according to

the manufacturers’ instructions.

20

* ANSI Z41, Protective Footwear.
What should I look for when choosing

safety shoes for my employees?

Generally, safety shoes must be sturdy and must

have impact-resistant safety toes, instep protection,

and heat-resistant soles (see Figure 3). All safety

shoes must comply with the ANSI standard(s)

mentioned above. In addition, depending on the

types of worker exposures, you may need to provide

specially designed safety shoes such as conductive

or electrical-hazard safety shoes.

Conductive Shoes

Electrically conductive shoes protect against the

buildup of static electricity. Essentially, these shoes

ground the employees wearing them. Employees

working in explosive and hazardous locations such

as explosives manufacturing facilities or grain

elevators must wear conductive shoes to reduce the

Figure 3. Safety Shoes

If your employees... Then...

Work near explosive or hazardous You must provide them with conductive shoes.

atmosphere.

Work near exposed electrical conductors You must provide them with electrical-hazard,

or components. safety-toe shoes.

Work with molten metal. You must provide them with foundry shoes.

Foot and Leg Protection 21

risk of static electricity buildup on an employee’s

body that could produce a spark and cause an

explosion or fire. During training, employees must

be instructed not to use foot powder or wear socks

made of silk, wool, or nylon with conductive shoes.

Foot powder insulates and retards the conductive

ability of the shoes. Silk, wool, and nylon produce

static electricity.

Conductive shoes are not general-purpose shoes

and must be removed upon completion of the tasks

for which they are required. Employees exposed to

electrical hazards must never wear conductive shoes.

Electrical Hazard, Safety-Toe Shoes

Electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes are nonconductive and will prevent your employees’ feet from

completing an electrical circuit to the ground. They

can protect employees against open circuits of up to

600 volts in dry conditions. Electrical hazard,

Instep protection made of aluminum, steel, 

fiber, or plastic to protect the top of the 

foot and front of the ankle

Outline of instep protection showing position. 

Outline of top cap

showing position.

Safety toe must meet standards for impact

(obects falling on toe) and for compression

(weight pressing on toe).

Insulated against heat and cold. 

May also be waterproof and 

chemical resistant. 

To protect against slipperiness, oil, heat,

chemicals, or electrical hazards, soles may be

made of leather, rubber, or wood.
safety-toe shoes should be used in conjunction with

other insulating equipment and precautions to reduce

or eliminate the potential for your employees’ bodies

or parts of their bodies to provide a path for hazardous electrical energy. Note: Nonconductive footwear must not be used in explosive or hazardous

locations; in such locations, electrically conductive

shoes are required.

Train your employees to recognize that the insulating protection of electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes

may be compromised if

• The shoe is wet,

• The rubber sole is worn through,

• Metal particles become embedded in the sole or

heel, or

• Other parts of the employees’ bodies come into

contact with conductive, grounded items.

Foundry Shoes

In addition to insulating your employees’ feet from

the extreme heat of molten metal, foundry shoes

prohibit hot metal from lodging in shoe eyelets,

tongues, or other parts. These snug-fitting leather or

leather-substitute shoes have leather or rubber soles

and rubber heels. In addition, all foundry shoes must

have built-in safety toes.

Once I have selected equipment to protect

my employees’ feet and legs, how do I

make sure they use it properly?

Train your employees to use the protective footwear. Checklist E will help you instruct your employees to use and care for the foot and leg protection you provide.

Checklist E:

Use and Care of Foot and Leg Protection

Train your employees to know...

■ Why foot or leg protection is necessary—i.e., the workplace hazards that threaten

 the feet or legs

■ How the equipment you provide will protect your employees

■ The limitations of the foot or leg protection

■ When employees must wear the protective leggings, guards, or shoes

■ How to properly put on the protective equipment

■ How to adjust straps, laces, and other parts for a comfortable and effective fit

How to identifity signs of wear such as

■ Scuffed, cracked, or lacerated uppers

■ Signs of separation between soles and uppers

■ Holes or cracks in soles or heel

■ Metal embedded in heels or soles of electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes

■ How to clean and maintain the leg and foot protection you provide

22 Foot and Leg Protection
When must I provide hand and arm

protection?

If your workplace hazard assessment reveals that

your employees risk injury to their hands and arms,

and engineering and work practice controls do not

eliminate the hazards, you must provide your

employees with appropriate protection. The injuries

you may need to guard against in your workplace

include the following:

• Burns

• Bruises

• Abrasions

• Cuts

• Punctures

• Fractures

• Amputations

• Chemical exposures.

What kind of equipment is necessary to

protect the hands and arms?

For many workplace operations, machine guards

such as point-of-operation guards will be sufficient.

For example, install a barrier that makes it impossible

for employees to put their hands at the point where a

table saw blade makes contact with the wood it cuts.

For other hazardous operations, you may be able to

institute work procedures that eliminate the risk of

injury to your employees’ hands or arms. When such

measures fail to eliminate the hazard, however, protective gloves will be the primary means of protecting

employees’ hands. When the risk of injury includes the

arm, protective sleeves, often attached to the gloves,

may be appropriate.

Is there one kind of glove that will protect

against all workplace hazards?

No. The nature of the hazard(s) and the operation to

be performed will determine your selection of gloves.

The variety of potential occupational hand injuries may

make selecting the appropriate pair of gloves more

difficult than choosing other protective equipment.

Take care to choose gloves designed for the particular

circumstances of your workplace.

Hand and Arm Protection

What kinds of protective gloves are

available?

Gloves made from a wide variety of materials are

designed for virtually every workplace hazard. In

general, however, they may be divided into four

groups:

• Durable work gloves made of metal mesh,

leather, or canvas.

• Fabric and coated fabric gloves.

• Chemical and liquid resistant gloves.

• Insulating rubber gloves.*

Metal Mesh, Leather, or Canvas Gloves

Sturdy gloves made from metal mesh, leather, or

canvas provide protection against cuts, burns, and

sustained heat.

• Leather gloves. Leather gloves protect against

sparks, moderate heat, blows, chips, and rough

objects. Welders in particular need the durability of higher-quality leather gloves.

• Aluminized gloves. These gloves usually are

used for welding, furnace, and foundry work

because they provide reflective and insulating

protection against heat. Aluminized gloves

require an insert made of synthetic materials that

protect against heat and cold.

• Aramid fiber gloves. Aramid is a synthetic

material that protects against heat and cold.

Many glove manufacturers use aramid fiber to

make gloves that are cut- and abrasive-resistant

and wear well.

• Other synthetic materials. Several manufacturers make gloves with other synthetic fabrics

that offer protection against heat and cold. In

addition to protection against temperature

extremes, gloves made with other synthetic

materials are cut- and abrasive-resistant and may

withstand some diluted acids. These materials

do not stand up against alkalis and solvents.

*See 29 CFR 1910.137 for detailed requirements for the

selection and use of insulating rubber gloves.

23
Hand and Arm Protection

Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves

These gloves are made of cotton or other fabric to

provide varying degrees of protection.

• Fabric gloves. These gloves can protect against

dirt, slivers, chafing, and abrasion. These gloves

do not provide sufficient protection, however, to

be used with rough, sharp, or heavy meterials.

Adding a plastic coating to some fabric gloves

strengthens them and makes them effective protection for a variety of tasks.

• Coated fabric gloves. Manufacturers normally

make these gloves from cotton flannel with

napping on one side. By coating the unnapped

side with plastic, fabric gloves are transformed

into general-purpose hand protection offering

slip-resistant qualities. These gloves are used

for tasks ranging from handling bricks and wire

rope to handling chemical containers in laboratory operations. When selecting gloves to

protect against chemical exposure hazards,

always check with the manufacturer (or review

the manufacturer’s product literature) to determine the gloves’ effectiveness against the

specific chemicals and conditions in the workplace.

Chemical- and Liquid-Resistant Gloves

Gloves made of rubber (latex, nitrile, or butyl),

plastic, or synthetic rubber-like material such as

Helping Hands...

An independent laboratory employs 25

chemists and technicians. The technicians

handle small amounts of organic acids and

solvents during tasks that require dexterity and

accuracy. Lab coats provide sufficient protection to the technicians’ arms and bodies.

The employer supplies the technicians with

neoprene gloves. The gloves allow employees

full dexterity and are particularly good at

protecting their hands from the acids.

neoprene protect workers from burns, irritation, and

dermatitis caused by contact with oils, greases,

solvents, and other chemicals. The use of rubber

gloves also reduces the risk of exposure to blood

and other potentially infectious substances. Some

common gloves used for chemical protection are

described below. In addition, Table 4 rates various

gloves as protectors against specific chemicals and

will help you select the most appropriate gloves to

protect your employees.

• Butyl rubber gloves. These gloves protect

against nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric

acid, red fuming nitric acid, rocket fuels, and

peroxide. Highly impermeable to gases, chemicals, and water vapor, butyl rubber gloves also

resist oxidation and ozone corrosion. In addition, they resist abrasion and remain flexible at

low temperatures.

• Natural latex or rubber gloves. The comfortable wear and pliability of latex gloves as well

as their protective qualities make them a popular

general-purpose glove. In addition to resisting

abrasions caused by sandblasting, grinding, and

polishing, these gloves protect workers’ hands

from most water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts,

and ketones. When selecting hand protection,

you should be aware that latex gloves have

caused allergic reactions in some individuals

and thus may not be appropriate for all of your

employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners,

and powderless gloves are possible alternatives

for individuals who are allergic to latex gloves.

• Neoprene gloves. These gloves have good

pliability, finger dexterity, high density, and tear

resistance which protect against hydraulic fluids,

gasoline, alcohols, organic acids, and alkalis.

• Nitrile rubber gloves. These sturdy gloves

provide protection from chlorinated solvents

such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene.

Although intended for jobs requiring dexterity

and sensitivity, nitrile gloves stand up to heavy

use even after prolonged exposure to substances

that cause other gloves to deteriorate. In addition, nitrile gloves resist abrasions, punctures,

snags, and tears.

24
Chemical Neoprene gloves Latex or rubber Butyl gloves Nitrile latex

gloves gloves

Acetaldehyde* VG G VG G

Acetic acid VG VG VG VG

Acetone G VG VG P

Ammonium hydroxide VG VG VG VG

Amy acetate* F P F P

Aniline G F F P

Benzaldehyde* F F G G

Benzene* P P P F

Butyl acetate G F F P

Butyl alcohol VG VG VG VG

Carbon disulfide F F F F

Carbon tetrachloride* F P P G

Castor oil F P F VG

Chlorobenzene* F P F P

Chloroform* G P P F

Chloronaphthalene F P F F

Chromic acid (50%) F P F F

Citric acid (10%) VG VG VG VG

Cyclohexanol G F G VG

Dibutyl phthalate* G P G G

Diesel fuel G P P VG

Diisobutyl ketone P F G P

Dimethylformamide F F G G

Dioctyl phthalate G P F VG

Dioxane VG G G G

Epoxy resins, dry VG VG VG VG

Ethyl acetate* G F G F

Ethyl alcohol VG VG VG VG

Ethyl ether* VG G VG G

Ethylene dichloride* F P F P

Ethylene glycol VG VG VG VG

Formaldehyde VG VG VG VG

Formic acid VG VG VG VG

Freon 11 G P F G

Freon 12 G P F G

Freon 21 G P F G

Freon 22 G P F G

Furfural* G G G G

Table 4.

Glove Chemical Resistance Selection Chart

Hand and Arm Protection 25
Hand and Arm Protection

Gasoline, leaded G P F VG

Gasoline, unleaded G P F VG

Glycerin VG VG VG VG

Hexane F P P G

Hydrazine (65%) F G G G

Hydrochloric acid VG G G G

Hydrofluoric acid (48%) VG G G G

Hydrogen peroxide (30%) G G G G

Hydroquinone G G G F

Isooctane F P P VG

Kerosene VG F F VG

Ketones V VG VG P

Lacquer thinners V F F P

Lactic acid (85%) VG VG VG VG

Lauric acid (36%) VG F VG VG

Lineolic acid VG P F G

Linseed oil VG P F VG

Maleic acid VG VG VG VG

Methyl alcohol VG VG VG VG

Methylamine F F G G

Methyl bromide G F G F

Methyl chloride* P P P P

Methyl ethyl ketone* G G VG P

Methyl isobutyl ketone* F F VG P

Methyl metharcrylate G G VG F

Monoethanolamine VG G VG VG

Morpholine VG VG VG G

Naphthalene G F F G

Napthas, alaphatic VG F F VG

Naphthas, aromatic G P P G

Nitric acid* G F F F

Nitric acid, red and white P P P P

fuming

Nitromethane (95.5%)* F P F F

Nitropropane (95.5%) F P F F

Octyl alcohol VG VG VG VG

Oleic acid VG F G VG

Chemical Neoprene gloves Latex or rubber Butyl gloves Nitrile latex

gloves gloves

Table 4. Glove Chemical Resistance Selection Chart (Continued)

26
Oxalic acid VG VG VG VG

Palmitic acid VG VG VG VG

Perchloric acid (60%) VG F G G

Perchloroethylene F P P G

Petroleum distillates G P P VG

(naphtha)

Phenol VG F G F

Phosphoric acid VG G VG VG

Potassium hydroxide VG VG VG VG

Propyl acetate G F G F

Propyl alcohol VG VG VG VG

Propyl alcohol (iso) VG VG VG VG

Sodium hyrdoxide VG VG VG VG

Styrene P P P F

Styrene (100%) P P P F

Sulfuric acid G G G G

Tannic acid (65) VG VG VG VG

Tetrahydrofuran P F F F

Toluene* F P P F

Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) F G G F

Trichloroethylene* F F P G

Triethanolamine (85%) VG G G VG

Tung oil VG P F VG

Turpentine G F F VG

Xylene* P P P F

Chemical Neoprene gloves Latex or rubber Butyl gloves Nitrile latex

gloves gloves

Table 4. Glove Chemical Resistance Selection Chart (Continued)

Source: OSH Technical Reference Manual, U.S. Department of Energy

*Limited service.

VG=Very Good; G=Good; F=Fair; P=Poor (not recommended).

Hand and Arm Protection 27
How do I make sure my employees properly use the equipment I have selected?

Train your employees to use the protective gloves

and sleeves. Checklist F will help you teach your

employees how to use and care for the equipment.

Checklist F:

Use and Care of Hand and Arm Protection

28 Hand and Arm Protection

Train your employees to know...

■ Why hand and arm protection is necessary—i.e., the workplace hazards that threaten

 their hands and arms.

■ How the protective gloves and sleeves will protect them

■ The limitation of the protective equipment you’ve supplied

■ When they must wear the gloves and sleeves

■ How to wear the protective gloves and sleeves properly

■ How to ensure a comfortable and effective fit

■ How to identify signs of wear, such as

■ Cracks, scrapes, or lacerations

■ Thinning or discoloration

■ Break through to the skin

■ How to clean and disinfect the nondisposable protective gloves and sleeves
Body Protection

When must I provide my employees with

full body protection?

You must provide body protection for employees

if they are threatened with bodily injury of one kind

or another while performing their jobs, and if

engineering, work practice, and administrative

controls have failed to eliminate these hazards.

Workplace hazards that could cause bodily injury

include the following:

• Intense heat

• Splashes of hot metals and other hot liquids

• Impacts from tools, machinery, and materials

• Cuts

• Hazardous chemicals

• Contact with potentially infectious materials,

like blood

• Radiation.

If only part of the body faces potential

injury, must I provide my employees with

full body protection?

As with all protective equipment, protective

clothing is available to protect against specific

hazards. You need to provide personal protective

equipment only for the parts of the body exposed to

possible injury. Depending upon hazards in your

workplace, you may need to provide your employees with one or more of the following:

• Vests

• Jackets

• Aprons

• Coveralls

• Surgical gowns

• Full body suits.

If your hazard assessment indicates that you must

provide full body protection against toxic substances or harmful physical agents, you must:

• Inspect the clothing carefully,

• Ensure proper fit, and

• Make sure the protective clothing functions

properly.

From what material should protective

clothing be made?

Protective clothing comes in a variety of materials,

each suited to particular hazards. Conduct your

hazard assessment. Identify the sources of any

possible bodily injury. Install any feasible engineering controls, and institute work practice controls to

eliminate the hazards. If the possibility of bodily

injury still exists, provide protective clothing constructed of material that will protect against the

specific hazards in your workplace. Materials for

protective clothing include the following:

• Paperlike fiber. Disposable suits made of this

material provide protection against dust and

splashes.

• Treated wool and cotton. Protective clothing

made from treated wool and cotton adapts well to

changing workplace temperatures and is comfortable as well as fire resistant. Treated cotton and

wool clothing protects against dust, abrasions,

and rough and irritating surfaces.

• Duck. This closely woven cotton fabric protects

employees against cuts and bruises while they

handle heavy, sharp, or rough materials.

• Leather. Leather protective clothing is often

used against dry heat and flame.

• Rubber, rubberized fabrics, neoprene, and

plastics. Protective clothing made from these

materials protects against certain acids and other

chemicals.

Be aware that different materials will protect

against different chemical and physical hazards.

When chemical or physical hazards are present,

check with the clothing manufacturer to make sure

that the material selected will provide protection

from the specific chemical or physical hazards in

your workplace.

29
Avoiding the Itch...

Among the services offered by a general contractor is the installation of fiberglass insulation. In

addition to the hazards posed by airborne glass fibers from the insulation, fiberglass insulation irritates

skin. Also, the insulation often is installed in attics during the summer heat.

The contractor provides employees with cotton gloves and long-sleeve cotton flannel shirts to wear

while installing fiberglass insulation. The heavy cotton protects against the skin irritation while still

providing as much breathability as possible.

The contractor also provides employers with respirators selected in accordance with applicable

OSHA standards to protect against breathing fiberglass.

How do I make sure employees properly

use the body protection I provide?

Train your employees to use the protective

clothing. Checklist G will help you instruct them

in the use and care of the body protection.

Checklist G:

Use and Care of Body Protection

30 Body Protection

Train your employees to know...

■ Why protective clothing is necessary—i.e., the workplace hazards that threaten their bodies

■ How the protective clothing will protect them

■ The limitation of the body protection

■ When they must wear the protective clothing

■ How to put on the protective clothing properly

■ How to adjust parts for a comfortable and effective fit

■ How to identify signs of wear, such as

■ Rips, tears, scuffs, and

■ Loss of elasticity in tight-fitting parts

■ How to clean and disinfect the protective clothing
Hearing Protection

When must I provide hearing protection

for my employees?

Determining the need to provide hearing protection can be tricky. Employee exposure to excessive

noise depends upon a number of factors:

• How loud is the noise as measured in decibels

(dBA)?

• What is the duration of each employee’s exposure to the noise?

• Do employees move between separate work

areas with different noise levels?

• Is noise generated from one source or multiple

sources?

Generally, the louder the noise, the shorter the

exposure time before you must provide hearing

protection. For instance, employees may be

exposed to a noise level of 90 dBA for 8 hours per

day before you must provide hearing protection for

them. Suppose, however, that the noise level

reaches 115 dBA in your workplace. Then you

must provide hearing protection if their anticipated

exposure exceeds 15 minutes.

Table 5 shows when you must provide hearing

protection to employees exposed to occupational

noise at specific levels for specific periods. Noises

are considered continuous if the interval between

occurrences of the maximum noise level is 1

second or less. Noises not meeting this definition

are considered impact or impulse noises. Exposure

to impact or impulse noises (loud momentary

explosions of sound) must not exceed 140 dB.

Examples of impact or impulse noises may include

the noise from a powder-actuated nail gun, the

noise from a punch press, or the noise from drop

hammers.

For more information on noise, consult Chapter

II:5, “Noise Measurement,” of the OSHA Technical

Manual.*

*TED 1-0.15A, January 20, 1999, on http://www.osha-slc.gov/.

Table 5. Permissible Noise Exposures

Duration per day, hours Sound level dBA slow

response

8 90

6 92

4 95

3 97

2 100

1 1/2 102

1 105

1/2 110

1/4 or less 115

Source: 29 CFR 1910.95 Table G-16.

Will earplugs reduce employee exposure

to high noise levels?

As with other types of hazards, you must implement feasible engineering controls and work

practices before resorting to PPE such as earplugs

or earmuffs. If engineering and work practice

controls do not lower employee exposure to workplace noise to acceptable levels, then you must

provide employees with appropriate PPE.

What if my employees are exposed to

different levels of noise throughout the

day?

If employees move from location to location and

the noise level is different in each location, or if the

noise levels in an area change throughout the day

(e.g., equipment turns on or off), you must calculate

an “equivalent noise factor” to determine whether

you must provide hearing protection.

• Measure the noise level at each location in

which the employee works.

• For each noise level, find the allowable duration

in Table 5.

• For each location, divide the actual time the

employee spends there by the permissible

duration for the noise at the measured level,

according to Table 5.

31
Hearing Protection

• Add all the results from your division.

• If the total is greater than one, you must implement engineering controls or work practices or

provide hearing protection to your exposed

employees.

The formula for calculating this exposure is as

follows:

Fe= (C1/T1)+(C2/T2)...(Cn/Tn)

Where

Fe

= the equivalent noise factor.

C = the period of actual noise exposure at

 an essentially constant level at each

 location in which the employee works.

T = the permissible duration of noise expo-

 sure at an essentially constant noise

 level, from Table 5.

What kinds of devices protect against

high noise levels? Is cotton sufficient as

earplugs?

Plain cotton does not effectively protect against

occupational noise. You may, however, choose

from several products that are effective at protecting your employees’ hearing.

• Single-use earplugs. Made of waxed cotton,

foam, or fiberglass wool, these ear plugs are

self- forming and, when properly inserted, work

as well as most molded earplugs.

• Preformed or molded earplugs. Sometimes

single-use and disposable, these plugs must be

individually fitted by a professional. Nondisposable plugs should be cleaned after each use.

• Earmuffs. Earmuffs require a perfect seal

around the ear. Glasses, long sideburns, long

hair, and facial movements such as chewing may

reduce the protective value of earmuffs. You

may purchase special earmuffs designed for use

with eyeglasses or beards.

If I provide my employees with hearing

protection, can they then work in areas

with any level of noise for any period of

time?

No. Hearing protectors reduce only the amount

of noise that gets through to the ears. The amount

of this reduction is referred to as attenuation.

Attenuation differs according to the type of hearing

protection used and how well they fit. The hearing

protectors you choose must be capable of achieving

the attenuation needed to reduce the employee’s

noise exposure to within the acceptable limits noted

in Table 5. Appendix B of 29 CFR 1910.95,

Occupational Noise Exposure, describes methods

for estimating the attenuation of a particular hearing

protector based on the device’s noise reduction

rating (NRR). Manufacturers of hearing protection

devices must report the device’s NRR on the

product packaging.

Once I have selected equipment to protect my employees’ hearing, how do I

make sure they use it properly?

Train your employees to use the hearing protection. Checklist H will help you train your employees to use and care for the earplugs or earmuffs that

you provide.

32
Checklist H:

Use and Care of Hearing Protection

Once I have provided my employees with

hearing protection and training in how to

use it, how do I know that it is really

protecting their hearing?

If your employees are exposed to occupational

noise at or above 85 dBA averaged over an 8-hour

period, then you must institute a hearing conservation program that includes regular testing of employees’ hearing by qualified professionals. The

OSHA occupational noise standard, at 29 CFR

1910.95, sets forth the requirements for a hearing

conservation program.

Hearing Protection 33

Train your employees to know...

■ Why hearing protection is necessary—i.e., the workplace hazards that threaten their hearing

■ How the earplugs or earmuffs will protect them

■ The limitations of the hearing protection

■ When they must insert or wear the hearing protectors

■ How to adjust earmuff parts for a comfortable and

 effective fit, or form the earplugs to fit their ears

■ How special earmuffs fit over an employee’s corrective lenses

■ How to clean and disinfect the hearing protection
Summary

You must consider many factors when selecting

PPE to protect your employees from workplace

hazards. With all of the types of operations that can

present hazards and all of the types of PPE available

to protect the different parts of a worker’s body from

specific types of hazards, this selection process can

be confusing and at times overwhelming. Because

of this, OSHA requires that you implement a PPE

program to help you systematically assess the

hazards in the workplace and select the appropriate

PPE that will protect your workers from those

hazards. As part of this PPE program, you must do

the following:

• Assess the workplace to identify equipment,

operations, chemicals, and other workplace

components that could harm your employees.

• Implement engineering controls and work practices to control or eliminate these hazards to the

extent feasible.

• Select the appropriate types of PPE to protect

your employees from hazards that cannot be

eliminated or controlled through engineering

controls and work practices.

• Inform your employees why the PPE is necessary and when it must be worn.

• Train your employees how to use and care for

the selected PPE and how to recognize PPE

deterioration and failure.

• Require your employees to wear the selected

PPE in the workplace.

The basic information presented here attempts to

establish and illustrate a logical, structured approach to hazard assessment and PPE selection and

application for you to use as a starting point for

your PPE program.

34
Other Sources of OSHA Assistance

Safety and Health Program Management

Guidelines

Effective management of worker safety and health

protection is a decisive factor in reducing the extent

and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses

and their related costs. To assist employers and

employees in developing effective safety and health

programs, OSHA published recommended Safety

and Health Program Management Guidelines

(Federal Register 54 (18): 3908-3916, January 26,

1989). These voluntary guidelines apply to all places

of employment covered by OSHA.

The guidelines identify four elements that are

critical to the development of a successful safety and

health management program:

• Management commitment and employee involvement

• Worksite analysis

• Hazard prevention and control

• Safety and health training.

The guidelines recommend specific actions under

each of these general elements to achieve an effective

safety and health program. A single free copy of the

guidelines can be obtained from the U.S. Department

of Labor, OSHA/OSHA Publications, P.O. Box

37535, Washington, DC 20013-7535, by sending a

self-addressed mailing label with your request. See

also Federal Register notices on OSHA’s Web site at

http://www.osha.gov.

State Programs

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

encourages states to develop and operate their own

job safety and health plans. States with plans approved under section 18(b) of the Act must adopt

standards and enforce requirements that are at least

as effective as federal requirements. There are

currently 25 state-plan states: 23 of these states

administer plans covering both private and public

(state and local government) employees; the other

two states, Connecticut and New York, cover public

employees only. Plan states must adopt standards

comparable to Federal requirements within six

months of a Federal standard’s promulgation. Until a

state standard is promulgated, Federal OSHA provides interim enforcement assistance, as appropriate,

in these states. A listing of approved state plans

appears at the end of this publication.

Free On-Site Consultation

Free on-site safety and health consultation services

are available in all states to employers who want help

in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful

workplace. Primarily developed for smaller employers with more hazardous operations, the OSHA

Consultation Service is largely funded by OSHA and

is delivered by state governments employing professional safety consultants and health consultants. The

full service assistance that is offered includes an

appraisal of all mechanical systems, physical work

practices, occupational safety and health hazards of

the workplace, and all aspects of the employer’s

present job safety and health program. In addition,

the service offers assistance to employers in developing and implementing an effective workplace safety

and health program that corrects and continuously

addresses safety and health concerns.

This program is completely separate from OSHA’s

inspection efforts. No penalties are proposed or

citations issued for any safety or health problems

identified by the consultant. The service is confidential. The employer’s name, the firm’s name, and any

information about the workplace, plus any unsafe or

unhealthful working conditions that the consultant

uncovers will not be reported routinely to the OSHA

inspection staff.

The only obligation is the employer’s commitment

to correct serious job safety and health hazards in a

timely manner. The employer is asked to make this

commitment prior to the actual visit.

For more information concerning consultation

services, see the list of state consultation projects at

the end of this publication.

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) are

designed to recognize and promote effective safety

35
and health program management. In the VPP,

management, labor, and OSHA establish cooperative

relationships at workplaces that have implemented

strong programs.

Sites approved for VPP’s Star, Merit, and Demonstration programs have met, and must continue to meet,

rigorous participation standards. Benefits of VPP

participation include improved employee motivation to

work safely, leading to better quality and productivity;

lost-workday case rates that generally are 60-80 percent

below industry averages; reduced workers’ compensation and other injury- and illness-related cost; positive

community recognition and interaction; further improvement and revitalization of already good safety and

health programs; and partnership with OSHA.

A valuable offshoot of the Voluntary Protection

Programs is the Mentoring Program operated by the

VPP Participants’ Association, a private, nonprofit

organization that supports the VPP’s goals. Worksites

that have qualified for participation in the VPP share

their experience and expertise with sites that have

requested help in developing and implementing effective worker safety and health programs. Information on

mentoring can be obtained from the VPP Participants’

Association, 7600-E Leesburg Pike, Suite 440, Falls

Church, VA 22043, telephone (703) 761-1148.

Voluntary Protection Programs and on-site consultation services, when coupled with an effective enforcement program, expand worker protection to help meet

the goals of the OSH Act.

For additional information about the VPP, contact the

VPP Manager in your OSHA Regional Office, listed at

the end of this publication.

Training and Education

OSHA’s area offices offer a variety of information

services such as publications, audiovisual aids, technical advice, and speakers for special engagements.

OSHA’s Training Institute in Des Plaines, IL, provides

basic and advanced courses in safety and health for

federal and state compliance officers, state consultants,

federal agency personnel, and private-sector employers,

employees, and their representatives.

The OSHA Training Institute also has established

OSHA Training Institute Education Centers to address

the increased demand for its courses from the private

sector and from other Federal agencies. These centers

are nonprofit colleges, universities, and other organizations that have been selected after a competition for

participation in the program. They are located in

various parts of the United States.

OSHA also provides grants to nonprofit organizations for workplace training and education in subjects

where OSHA believes there is a lack of workplace

training. Grants are awarded annually, and grant

recipients are expected to contribute 20 percent of the

total grant cost.

For more information on grants, training, and education, contact the OSHA Training Institute, Office of

Training and Education, 1555 Times Drive, Des

Plaines, IL 60018, telephone (847) 297-4810.

For further information on any OSHA program,

contact your nearest OSHA area or regional office. A

list of these offices is at the end of this publication.

Electronic Information

Internet: OSHA standards, interpretations, directives,

and additional information are now on the Worldwide

Web at http://www.osha.gov/.

CD-ROM: A wide variety of OSHA materials

including standards, interpretations, directives, and

more can be purchased on CD-ROM from the Government Printing Office. To order, write to the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA

15250-7954. Specify OSHA Regulations, Documents

and Technical Information on CD-ROM, (ORDT), S/N

729-013-000000-5. The price is $46.00 per year;

single copy $17.00.

Emergencies

For life-threatening situations, call (800) 321-OSHA.

Complaints will go immediately to the nearest OSHA

area or state office for help.

For further information on any OSHA program,

contact your nearest OSHA area or regional office.

36 Other Sources of OSHA Assistance
States with Approved Plans

Commissioner

Alaska Department of Labor

1111 West 8th Street

Room 304

Juneau, AK 99801-1149

(907) 465-2700

Director

Industrial Commission of Arizona

800 W. Washinagton

Phoenix, AZ 85007-2922

(602) 542-5795

Director

California Department of Industrial Relations

455 Golder Gate Avenue-10th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 703-5050

Commissioner

Connecticut Department of Labor

200 Folly Brook Boulevard

Wethersfield, CT 06109

(203) 566-5123

Director

Hawaii Department of Labor

 and Industrial Relations

830 Punchbowl Street

Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 586-8844

Commissioner

Indiana Department of Labor

State Office Building

402 West Washington Street

Room W195

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2751

(317) 232-2378

Commissioner

Iowa Division of Labor Services

1000 E. Grand Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319-0209

(515) 281-3447

Secretary

Kentucky Labor Cabinet

1049 U.S. Highway, 127 South, Suite 4

Frankfort, KY 40601

(502) 564-3070

Commissioner

Maryland Division of Labor and Industry

Department of Labor, Licensing,

 and Regulation

1100 N. Eutaw Street, Room 613

Baltimore, MD 21201-2206

(410) 767-2215

Director

Michigan Department of Consumer

 and Industry Services

P.O. Box 30643

Lansing, MI 48909-8143

(517) 322-1814

Commissioner

Minnesota Department of Labor

 and Industry

443 Lafayette Road

St. Paul, MN 55155-4307

(651) 296-2342

Director

Nevada Division of Industrial Relations

400 West King Street

Carson City, NV 89710

(751) 687-3032

Secretary

New Mexico Environment Department

1190 St. Francis Drive

P.O. Box 26110

Santa Fe, NM 87502

(505) 827-2850

Commissioner

New York Department of Labor

W. Averell Harriman State Office

 Building - 12, Room 500

Albany, NY 12240

(518) 457-2741

37
Commissioner

North Carolina Department of Labor

4 West Edenton Street

Raleigh, NC 27601-1092

(919) 807-7166

Administrator

Department of Consumer & Business

 Services

Occupational Safety and Health

 Division (OR-OSHA)

350 Winter Street, NE, Room 430

Salem, OR 97310-0220

(503) 378-3272

Secretary

Puerto Rico Department of Labor

 and Human Resources

Prudencio Rivera Martinez Building

505 Munoz Rivera Avenue

Hato Rey, PR 00918

(809) 754-2119

Commissioner

South Carolina Department of Labor,

 Licensing, and Regulation

Koger Office Park, Kingstree Building

110 Centerview Drive

P.O. Box 11329

Columbia, SC 29210

(803) 896-4300

Commissioner

Tennessee Department of Labor

710 James Robertson Parkway

Nashville, TN 37243-0659

(615) 741-2582

Commissioner

Labor Commission of Utah

160 East 300 South, 3rd Floor

P.O. Box 146650

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6650

(801) 530-6898

Commissioner

Vermont Department of Labor and Industry

National Life Building - Drawer 20

National Life Drive

Montpelier, VT 05620-3401

(802) 828-5098

Commissioner

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry

Powers-Taylor Building

13 South 13th Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 786-2377

Commissioner

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

2203 Church Street

Christiansted St. Croix, VI 00820-4660

(340) 773-1994

Director

Washington Department of Labor

 and Industries

P.O. Box 44001

Olympia, WA 98504-4001

(360) 902-4200

Administrator

Worker’s Safety and Compensation

 Division (WSC)

Wyoming Department of Employment

Herschler Building, 2nd Floor East

122 West 25th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002

(307) 777-7786

38 States with Approved Plans
OSHA Consultation Project Directory

Alabama (Region IV)

Safe State Program

University of Alabama

425 Martha Parham West

P.O. Box 870388

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

(205) 348-3033

Alaska (Region X)

Consultation Section

ADOL/OSHA

3301 Eagle Street

P.O. Box 107022

Anchorage, AK 99510

(907) 269-4957

Arizona (Region IX)

Consultation and Training

Division of Occupational Safety & Health

Industrial Commission of Arizona

800 West Washington

Phoenix, AZ 85007-9070

(602) 542-1695

Arkansas (Region VI)

OSHA Consultation

Arkansas Department of Labor

10421 West Markham

Little Rock, AK 72205

(501) 682-4522

California (Region IX)

CAL/OSHA Consultation Service

Department of Industrial Relations

455 Golden Gate Avenue, 10th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 972-5270

Colorado (Region VIII)

Occupational Safety & Health Section

Colorado State University

115 Environmental Health Building

Fort Collins, CO 80523

(970) 491-6151

Connecticut (Region I)

Division of Occupational Safety & Health

Connecticut Department of Labor

38 Wolcott Hill Road

Wethersfield, CT 06109

(860) 566-4550

Delaware (Region III)

Occupational Safety and Health

Division of Industrial Affairs

Delaware Department of Labor

4425 Market Street

Wilmington, DE 19802

(302) 761-8219

District of Columbia (Region III)

Office of Occupational Safety and Health

D. C. Department of Employment Services

950 Upshur Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20011

(202) 576-6339

Florida (Region IV)

7(c)(1) Onsite Consultation Program

Division of Safety

Florida Department of Labor

 & Employment Security

2002 St. Augustine Road

Building E, Suite 45

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0663

(850) 922-8955

Georgia (Region IV)

7(c)(1) Onsite Consultation Program

Georgia Institute of Technology

151 6th Street, NW

O’Keefe Building, Room 22

Atlanta, GA 30332-0837

(404) 894-2643

Guam (Region IX)

OSHA Onsite Consultation

Department of Labor, Government of Guam

107 F Street

Tiyam, GU 96931

(671) 475-0136

39
OSHA Consultation Project Directory

Hawaii (Region IX)

Consultation and Training Branch

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

830 Punchbowl Street

Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 586-9100

Idaho (Region X)

Safety and Health Consultation Program

Boise State University

Department of Health Studies

1910 University Drive

Boise, ID 83725

(208) 426-3283

Illinois (Region V)

Illinois Onsite Consultation

Industrial Service Division

Department of Commerce & Community Affairs

State of Illinois Center

Suite 3-400

100 West Randolph Street

Chicago, IL 60601

(312) 814-2337

Indiana (Region V)

Division of Labor

Bureau of Safety, Education, and Training

Room W195

402 West Washington

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2287

(317) 232-2688

Iowa (Region VII)

7(c)(1) Consultation Program

Iowa Bureau of Labor

2016 DMACC Boulevard

Building17, Room 10

Ankeny, IA 50021

(515) 281-5352

Kansas (Region VII)

Kansas 7(c)(1) Consultation Program

Kansas Department of Human Resources

512 South West 6th Street

Topeka, KS 66603-3150

(785) 296-7476

Kentucky (Region IV)

Division of Education and Training

Kentucky Labor Cabinet

1047 U.S. Highway 127, South

Frankfort, KY 40601

(502) 564-6895

Louisiana (Region VI)

7(c)(1) Consultation Program

Louisiana Department of Labor

1001 N. 23rd Street, Room 230

P.O. Box 94094

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9094

(504) 342-9601

Maine (Region I)

Division of Industrial Safety

Maine Bureau of Labor Standards

Division of Industrial Safety

State House Station #45

Augusta, ME 04333-0045

(207) 624-6460

Maryland (Region III)

MOSH Consultation Services

312 Marshall Avenue, Room 600

Laurel, MD 20707

(410) 880-4970

Massachusetts (Region I)

Division of Occupational Safety and Health

Department of Workforce Development

1001 Watertown Street

West Newton, MA 02165

(617) 727-3982

Michigan (Health) (Region V)

Divison of Occupational Health

7150 Harris Drive

P.O. Box 30649

Lansing, MI 48909

(517) 322-6823

Michigan (Safety) (Region V)

Department of Consumer and

 Industry Services

7150 Harris Drive

Lansing, MI 48909

(517) 322-1809

40
Minnesota (Region V)

Department of Labor and Industry

Conultation Divison

433 LaFayette Road

Saint Paul, MN 55155

(612) 297-2393

Mississippi (Region IV)

Mississippi State University

Center for Safety and Health

2906 North State Street

Sutie 201

Jackson, MS 39216

(601) 987-3981

Missouri (Region VII)

Onsite Consultation Program

Division of Labor Standards

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

3315 West Truman Boulevard

P.O. Box 449

Jefferson City, MO 65109

(573) 751-3403

Montana (Region VIII)

Department of Labor and Industry

Bureau of Safety

P.O. Box 1728

Helena, MT 59624-1728

(406) 444-6418

Nebraska (Region VII)

Division of Safety and Labor Standards

Nebraska Department of Labor

State Office Building, Lower level

301 Centennial Mall, South

Lincoln, NE 68509-5024

(402) 471-4717

Nevada (Region IX)

Safety Consultation and Training Section

Division of Industrial Relations

Department of Business and Industry

1301 Green Valley Parkway

Henderson, NV 89014

(702) 486-9140

New Hampshire (Region I)

New Hampshire Department of Health

 and Human Services

6 Hazen Drive

Concord, NH 03301-6527

(603) 271-2024

New Jersey (Region II)

New Jersey Department of Labor

Division of Public Safety and

 Occupational Safety and Health

255 E. State Street, 8th Floor West

P.O. Box 953

Trenton, NJ 08625-0953

(609) 292-3923

New Mexico (Region VI)

New Mexico Environment Department

Occupational Health and Safety Bureau

525 Camino de los Marquez, Suite 3

P.O. Box 26110

Santa Fe, NM 87502

(505) 827-4230

New York (Region II)

Division of Safety and Health

State Office Campus

Building 12, Room 130

Albany, NY 12240

(518) 457-2238

North Carolina (Region IV)

Bureau of Consultative Services

North Carolina Department of Labor

4 West Edenton Street

Raleigh, NC 27603-1092

(919) 807-2905

North Dakota (Region VIII)

Division of Environmental Engineering

Room 304

1200 Missouri Avenue

Bismarck, ND 58504

(701) 328-5188

OSHA Consultation Project Directory 41
OSHA Consultation Project Directory

Ohio (Region V)

Division of Onsite Consultation

Bureau of Employment Services

145 S. Front Street

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 644-2246

Oklahoma (Region VI)

Oklahoma Department of Labor

OSHA Division

4001 North Lincoln Boulevard

Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5212

(405) 528-1500

Oregon (Region X)

Oregon OSHA

Department of Consumer and

 Business Services

350 Winter Street, N.E., Room 430

Salem, OR 97310

(503) 378-3272

Pennsylvania (Region III)

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Room 210 Walsh Hall

302 East Walk

Indiana, PA 15705-1087

(412) 357-2396

Puerto Rico (Region II)

Occupational Safety and Health Office

Department of Labor and Human Resources

21st Floor

505 Munoz Rivera Avenue

Hato Rey, PR 00918

(787) 754-2171

Rhode Island (Region I)

OSH Consultation Program

Division of Occupational Health and

 Radiation Control

Rhode Island Department of Health

3 Capital Hill

Providence, RI 02908

(401) 277-2438

South Carolina (Region IV)

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing

 and Regulation

3600 Forest Drive

P.O. Box 11329

Columbia, SC 29204

(803) 734-9614

South Dakota (Region VIII)

Engineering Extension

OnsiteTechnical Program

South Dakota State University

West Hall, Box 510

907 Harvey Dunn Street

Brookings, SD 57007

(605) 688-4101

Tennessee (Region IV)

OSHA Consultative Services Division

Tennessee Department of Labor

3rd Floor

710 James Robertson Parkway

Nashville, TN 37243-0659

(615) 741-7036

Texas (Region VI)

Workers’ Health and Safety Division

Workers’ Compensation Commission

Southfield Building

4000 South I H 35

Austin, TX 78704

(512) 440-4640

Utah (Region VIII)

Utah Labor Commission

Workplace Safety and Health

Consultation Services

160 East 300 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6650

(801) 530-6901

Vermont (Region I)

Division of Occupational Safety and Health

Vermont Department of Labor and Industry

National Life Building, Drawer #20

Montpelier, VT 05602-3401

(802) 828-2765

42
Virginia (Region III)

Virginia Department of Labor and Industry

Occupational Safety and Health Training

 and Consultation

13 South 13th Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(804) 786-6359

Virgin Islands (Region II)

Division of Occupational Safety and Health

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

3021 Golden Rock

Christiansted

St. Croix, VI 00840

(340) 772-1315

Washington (Region X)

Washington Department of Labor and Industries

Division of Industrial Safety & Health

P.O. Box 44643

Olympia, WA 98504

(360) 902-5638

West Virginia (Region III)

West Virginia Department of Labor

Capitol Complex Building #3, Room 319

1800 East Washington Street

Charleston, WV 25305

(304) 558-7890

Wisconsin (Health) (Region V)

Wisconsin Department of Health and

 Human Services

Division of Public Health

Section of Occupational Health

Room 112

1414 East Washington Avenue

Madison, WI 53703

(608) 266-8579

Wisconsin (Safety) (Region V)

Wisconsin Department of Commerce

Bureau of Marketing, Advocacy, and

 Technology Development

Bureau of Manufacturing and Assessment

NI4 W23833 Stone Ridge Drive

Suite B100

Waukesha, WI 53188-1125

(414) 523-3040

Wyoming (Region VIII)

Wyoming Department of Employment

Workers’ Safety and Compensation Division

Herschler Building, 2 East

122 West 25th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002

(307) 777-7786

OSHA Consultation Project Directory 43
Other Relevant Addresses

Consultation Training Coordinator

OSHA Training Institute

1555 Times Drive

Des Plaines, IL 60018

(847) 297-4810

Laboratory Services Agreement

Wisconsin Occupational Health Lab

979 Jonathan Drive

Madison, WI 53713

(608) 263-8807

New York Public Sector Consultation

Project

New York State Department of Labor

Building #12

State Building Campus

Albany, NY 12240

(518) 457-3518

Director of Consultation Support Services

University of Alabama

College of Continuing Studies

425 Martha Parham West

P.O. Box 870388

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0388

(205) 348-4585

44
US Department of Labor - OSHA

2047 Canyon Road - Todd Mall

Birmingham, AL 35216-1981

Telephone: (205) 731-1534

US Department of Labor - OSHA

3737 Government Blvd., Suite 100

Mobile, AL 36693-4309

Telephone: (334) 441-6131

US Department of Labor - OSHA

301 W. Northern Lights Blvd.

Suite 407

Anchorage, AK 99503-7571

Telephone: (907) 271-5152

US Department of Labor - OSHA

3221 North 16th Street, Suite 100

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Telephone: (602) 640-2007

US Department of Labor - OSHA

425 West Capitol

Suite 450

Little Rock, AR 72201

Telephone: (501) 324-6291

US Department of Labor - OSHA

5675 Ruffin Road, Suite 330

San Diego, CA 92123

Telephone: (619) 557-2909

US Department of Labor - OSHA

101 El Camino Plaza, Suite 105

San Francisco, CA 95815

Telephone: (916) 566-7470

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1391 North Speer Boulevard

Suite 210

Denver, CO 80204-2552

Telephone: (303) 844-5285

US Department of Labor - OSHA

7935 E. Prentice Avenue, Suite 209

Englewood, CO 80111-2714

Telephone: (303) 843-4500

OSHA Area Offices

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Clark Building

1057 Broad Street

Bridgeport, CT 06604

Telephone: (203) 579-5581

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Office Building

450 Main Street, Room 613

Hartford, CT 06103

Telephone: (203) 240-3152

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1 Rodney Square

920 King Street, Suite 402

Wilmington, DE 19801-3319

(302) 573-6115

US Department of Labor - OSHA

8040 Peters Road

Building H-100

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324

Telephone: (954) 424-0242

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Ribault Building

1851 Executive Center Drive

Suite 227

Jacksonville, FL 32207

Telephone: (904) 232-2895

US Department of Labor - OSHA

5807 Breckenridge Parkway

Suite A

Tampa, FL 33610-4249

Telephone: (813) 626-1177

US Department of Labor - OSHA

450 Mall Boulevard, Suite J

Savannah, GA 31406

Telephone: (912) 652-4393

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2400 Herodian Way, Suite 250

Smyrna, GA 30080-2968

Telephone: (770) 984-8700

45
OSHA Area Offices

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Building 7, Suite 110

2183 N. Lake Parkway

La Vista Perimeter Office Park

Tucker, GA 30084-4154

Telephone: (770) 493-6644

US Department of Labor - OSHA

300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Suite 5146

Honolulu, HI 96850

Telephone: (808) 541-2685

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1150 N. Curtis Road

Suite 201

Boise, ID 83706

Telephone: (208) 321-2960

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1600 167th Street, Suite 12

Calumet City, IL 60409

Telephone: (708) 891-3800

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2360 E. Devon Avenue

Suite 1010

Des Plaines, IL 60018

Telephone: (847) 803-4800

US Department of Labor - OSHA

11 Executive Drive, Suite 11

Fairview Heights, IL 62208

Telephone: (618) 632-8612

US Department of Labor - OSHA

344 Smoke Tree Business Park

North Aurora, IL 60542

Telephone: (630) 896-8700

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2918 West Willow Knolls Road

Peoria, IL 61614

Telephone: (309) 671-7033

US Department of Labor - OSHA

46 East Ohio Street, Room 423

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: (317) 226-7290

US Department of Labor - OSHA

210 Walnut Street, Room 815

Des Moines, IA 50309

Telephone: (515) 284-4794

US Department of Labor - OSHA

300 Epic Center

301 N. Main

Wichita, KS 67202

Telephone: (316) 269-6644

US Department of Labor - OSHA

John C. Watts Federal Building, Room 108

330 W. Broadway

Frankfort, KY 40601-1922

Telephone: (502) 227-7024

US Department of Labor - OSHA

9100 Bluebonnet Centre Boulevard

Suite 201

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Telephone: (225) 389-0474

US Department of Labor - OSHA

40 Western Avenue, Room 608

Augusta, ME 04330

Telephone: (207) 622-8417

US Department of Labor - OSHA

U.S. Federal Building

202 Harlow Street

Room 211

Bangor, ME 04401

Telephone: (207) 941-8177

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1099 Winterson Road, Suite 140

Linthicum, MD 21090-2218

Telephone: (410) 865-2055

US Department of Labor - OSHA

639 Granite Street, 4th Floor

Braintree, MA 02184

Telephone: (617) 565-6924

46
US Department of Labor - OSHA

Valley Office Park

13 Branch Street

Methuen, MA 01844

Telephone: (617) 565-8110

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1145 Main Street, Room 550

Springfield, MA 01103-1493

Telephone: (413) 785-0123

US Department of Labor - OSHA

801 South Waverly Road

Suite 306

Lansing, MI 48917-4200

Telephone: (517) 377-1892

US Department of Labor - OSHA

300 South 4th Street, Room 1205

Minneapolis, MN 55415

Telephone: (612) 664-5460

US Department of Labor - OSHA

3780 I-55 North

Suite 210

Jackson, MS 39211-6323

Telephone: (601) 965-4606

US Department of Labor - OSHA

6200 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 100

Kansas City, MO 64120

Telephone: (816) 483-9531

US Department of Labor - OSHA

911 Washington Avenue

Room 420

St. Louis, MO 63101

Telephone: (314) 425-4249

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2900 4th Avenue North, Suite 303

Billings, MT 59101

Telephone: (406) 247-7494

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Overland Wolf Building, Room 100

6910 Pacific Street

Omaha, NE 68106

Telephone: (402) 221-3182

US Department of Labor - OSHA

705 North Plaza, Room 204

Carson City, NV 89701

Telephone: (702) 885-6963

US Department of Labor - OSHA

279 Pleasant Street, Suite 201

Concord, NH 03301

Telephone: (603) 225-1629

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1030 Saint Georges Avenue

Plaza 35, Suite 205

Avenel, NJ 07001

Telephone: (732) 750-3270

US Department of Labor - OSHA

500 Route 17 South, 2nd Floor

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Telephone: (201) 288-1700

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Marlton Executive Park

701 Route 73 South Building 2

Suite 120

Marlton, NJ 08053

Telephone: (609) 757-5181

US Department of Labor - OSHA

299 Cherry Hill Road, Suite 304

Parsippany, NJ 07054

Telephone: (973) 263-1003

US Department of Labor - OSHA

505 Marquette Avenue, NW

Suite 820

Alburquerque, NM 87102

Telephone: (505) 248-5302

US Department of Labor - OSHA

401 New Karner Road

Suite 300

Albany, NY 12205-3809

Telephone: (518) 464-4338

US Department of Labor - OSHA

42-40 Bell Boulevard

Bayside, NY 11361

Telephone: (718) 279-9060

OSHA Area Offices 47
OSHA Area Offices

US Department of Labor - OSHA

5360 Genesee Street

Bowmansville, NY 14026

Telephone: (716) 684-3891

US Department of Labor - OSHA

6 World Trade Center, Room 881

New York, NY 10048

Telephone: (212) 466-2482

US Department of Labor - OSHA

3300 Vikery Road

North Syracuse, NY 13212

Telephone: (315) 451-0808

US Department of Labor - OSHA

660 White Plains Road

4th Floor

Tarrytown, NY 10591-5107

Telephone: (914) 524-7510

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1400 Old Court Road, Room 208

Westbury, NY 11590

Telephone: (516) 334-3344

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Century Station, Room 438

300 Fayetteville Street Mall

Raleigh, NC 27601-9998

Telephone: (919) 856-4770

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1640 East Capitol Avenue

Bismarck, ND 58501

Telephone: (701) 250-4521

US Department of Labor - OSHA

36 Triangle Park Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45246

Telephone: (513) 841-4132

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Office Building, Room 899

1240 East Ninth Street

Cleveland, OH 44199

Telephone: (216) 522-3818

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Office Building, Room 620

200 N. High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

Telephone: (614) 469-5582

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Office Building, Room 734

234 North Summit Street

Toledo, OH 43604

Telephone: (419) 259-7542

US Department of Labor - OSHA

420 West Main Place, Suite 300

Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Telephone: (405) 231-5351

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1220 S.W. Third Avenue, Room 640

Portland, OR 97204

Telephone: (503) 326-2251

US Department of Labor - OSHA

850 N. 5th Street

Allentown, PA 18102

Telephone: (610) 776-0592

US Department of Labor - OSHA

3939 West Ridge Road

Suite B-12

Erie, PA 16506-1887

Telephone: (814) 833-5758

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Progress Plaza

49 N. Progress Avenue

Harrisburg, PA 17109

Telephone: (717) 782-3902

48
US Department of Labor - OSHA

U.S. Custom House, Room 242

Second and Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106-2902

Telephone: (215) 597-4955

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Building, Room 1428

1000 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4101

Telephone: (412) 395-4903

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Penn Place, Room 2005

20 North Pennsylvania Avenue

Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701-3590

Telephone: (717) 826-6538

US Department of Labor - OSHA

BBV Plaza Building

1510 F.D. Roosevelt Avenue

Guaynabo, PR 00968

Telephone: (787) 277-1560

US Department of Labor - OSHA

380 Westminster Mall, Room 243

Providence, RI 02903

Telephone: (401) 528-4669

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1835 Assembly Street, Room 1468

Columbia, SC 29201-2453

Telephone: (803) 765-5904

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2002 Richard Jones Road

Suite C-205

Nashville, TN 37215-2809

Telephone: (615) 781-5423

US Department of Labor - OSHA

903 San Jacinto Boulevard

Suite 319

Austin, TX 78701

Telephone: (512) 916-5783

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Wilson Plaza

606 N. Carancahua, Suite 700

Corpus Christi, TX 78476

Telephone: (512) 888-3420

US Department of Labor - OSHA

8344 East R.L. Thornton Freeway

Suite 420

Dallas, TX 75228

Telephone: (214) 320-2400

US Department of Labor - OSHA

North Star 2 Building

Suite 302

8713 Airport Freeway

Fort Worth, TX 76180-7610

Telephone: (817) 428-2470

US Department of Labor - OSHA

17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77058

Telephone: (281) 286-0583

US Department of Labor - OSHA

350 North Sam Houston Parkway East

Suite 120

Houston, TX 77060

Telephone: (281) 591-2438

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Building, Room 806

1205 Texas Avenue

Lubbock, TX 79401

Telephone: (806) 472-7681

US Department of Labor - OSHA

1781 South 300 West

Salt Lake City, UT 84115-1802

Telephone: (801) 487-0680

US Department of Labor - OSHA

AFOB, Room 835

200 Granby Mall

Norfolk, VA 23510

Telephone: (757) 441-3820

OSHA Area Offices 49
US Department of Labor - OSHA

505 106th Ave, N.E., Suite 302

Bellevue, WA 98004

Telephone: (360) 553-7520

US Department of Labor - OSHA

405 Capitol Street, Suite 407

Charleston, WV 25301

Telephone: (304) 347-5937

US Department of Labor - OSHA

2618 North Ballard Road

Appleton, WI 54911-8664

Telephone: (920) 734-4521

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Federal Building U.S. Courthouse

500 Barstow Street, Room B-9

Eau Claire, WI 54701

Telephone: (715) 832-9019

US Department of Labor - OSHA

4802 East Broadway

Madison, WI 53716

Telephone: (608) 264-5388

US Department of Labor - OSHA

Henry S. Reuss Building

Suite 1180

310 West Wisconsin Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Telephone: (414) 297-3315

50 OSHA Area Offices
Region I

(CT,* MA, ME, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building

RME-340

Boston, MA 02203

Telephone: (617) 565-9860

Region II

(NJ, NY,* PR,* VI*)

201 Varick Street

Room 670

New York, NY 10014

Telephone: (212) 337-2378

Region III

(DC, DE, MD,* PA, VA,* WV)

The Curtis Center - Suite 740 West

170 S. Independence Mall West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

Telephone: (215) 861-4900

Region IV

(AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS, NC, SC,* TN*)

Atlanta Federal Center

61 Forsyth Street, SW

Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

Telephone: (404) 562-2300

Region V

(IL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

Telephone: (312) 353-2220

Region VI

(AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street

Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

Telephone: (214) 767-4731

Region VII

(IA,* KS, MO, NE)

City Center Square

1100 Main Street, Suite 800

Kansas City, MO 64105

Telephone: (816) 426-5861

Region VIII

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,* WY*)

1999 Broadway, Suite 1690

Denver, CO 80202-5716

Telephone: (303) 844-1600

Region IX

(American Samoa, AZ,* CA,* Guam,

HI,* NV,* Trust Territories of the Pacific)

71 Stevenson Street

4th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105

Telephone: (415) 975-4310

Region X

(AK,* ID, OR,* WA*)

1111 Third Avenue

Suite 715

Seattle, WA 98101-3212

Telephone: (206) 553-5930

*These states and territories operate their own OSHAapproved job safety and health programs (Connecticut and

New York plans cover public employees only). States with

approved programs must have a standard that is identical

to, or at least as effective as, the federal standard.

 OSHA Regional Offices 51

If you are unable to contact your local OSHA Area Office, you may contact the appropriate OSHA Regional Office for information and/or assistance.