OSHA 3220-10N 2004
WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 11

Hazards & Solutions

Warehouse operations can present a

wide variety of potential hazards for

the worker.

For warehousing establishments, the

10 OSHA standards most frequently

included in the agency’s citations

were:

1. Forklifts

2. Hazard communication

3. Electrical, wiring methods

4. Electrical, system design

5. Guarding floor & wall openings 

and holes

6. Exits

7. Mechanical power transmission

8. Respiratory protection

9. Lockout/tagout

10. Portable fire extinguishers

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Think Safety

• More than 145,000 people work in over 7,000

warehouses.

• The fatal injury rate for the warehousing

industry is higher than the national average

for all industries.

• Potential hazards for workers in warehousing:

• Unsafe use of forklifts;

• Improper stacking of products;

• Failure to use proper personal protective 

equipment;

• Failure to follow proper lockout/tagout 

procedures; 

• Inadequate fire safety provisions; or

• Repetitive motion injuries.

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Docks

Hazard: Injuries happen here when forklifts

run off the dock, products fall on employees

or equipment strikes a person.

Solutions:

• Drive forklifts slowly on docks and dock

plates;

• Secure dock plates and check to see if the

plate can safely support the load;

• Keep clear of dock edges and never back 

up forklifts to the dock’s edge;

• Provide visual warnings near dock edges;

• Prohibit “dock jumping” by employees;

• Make sure that dock ladders and stairs meet

OSHA specifications.

Forklifts

Hazard: About 100 employees are killed and

95,000 injured every year while operating

forklifts in all industries. Forklift turnovers

account for a significant percentage of these

fatalities.

Solutions:

• Train, evaluate and certify all operators to

ensure that they can operate forklifts safely;

• Do not allow anyone under 18 years old to 

operate a forklift;

• Properly maintain haulage equipment,

including tires;

• Before using a forklift, examine it for hazardous conditions which would make it

unsafe to operate;

• Follow safe procedures for picking up, 

putting down and stacking loads;

• Drive safely, never exceeding 5 mph and

slow down in congested areas or those with

slippery surfaces; 

2 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 3
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

• Ensure that the operator wears a seatbelt

installed by the manufacturer;

• Never drive up to a person standing in front

of a fixed object such as a wall or stacked

materials;

• Prohibit stunt driving and horseplay;

• Do not handle loads that are heavier than

the weight capacity of the forklift;

• Remove unsafe or defective trucks from

service until the defect is properly repaired;

• Maintain sufficiently safe clearances for

aisles and at loading docks or passages

where forklifts are used;

• Ensure adequate ventilation either by

opened doors/windows or using a ventilation system to provide enough fresh air to

keep concentrations of noxious gases from

engine exhaust below acceptable limits; 

• Provide covers and/or guardrails to protect

workers from the hazards of open pits,

tanks, vats and ditches;

• Train employees on the hazards associated

with the combustion byproducts of forklift

operation, such as carbon monoxide.

Conveyors

Hazard: Workers can be injured when they

are caught in pinch points or in the in-going

nip points, are hit by falling products or

develop musculoskeletal disorders associated

with awkward postures or repetitive motions.

Solutions:

• Inspect conveyors regularly;

• Ensure that pinch points are adequately

guarded;

• Develop ways of locking out conveyors and

train employees in these procedures; 

• Provide proper lighting and working surfaces in the area surrounding the conveyor.

Materials Storage

Hazard: Improperly stored materials may fall

and injure workers.

Solutions:

• Stack loads evenly and straight;

• Place heavier loads on lower or middle

shelves;

• Remove one object at a time from shelves;

• Keep aisles and passageways clear and in

good repair.

4 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 5
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Manual Lifting/Handling

Hazard: Back injuries may occur from

improper lifting or overexertion.

Solutions: 

• Provide general ergonomics training and

task-specific training;

• Minimize the need for lifting by using good

design and engineering techniques; 

• Lift properly and get a coworker to help if 

a product is too heavy.

Hazard Communication

Hazard: Chemical burns are possible if spills

of hazardous materials occur.

Solutions:

• Maintain a Material Safety Data Sheet

(MSDS) for each chemical to which workers

are exposed in the facility;

• Follow instructions on the MSDS for handling chemical products; 

• Train employees on the risks of each 

chemical being stored;

• Provide spill cleanup kits in any area where

chemicals are stored;

• Have a written spill control plan;

• Train employees to clean up spills, protect

themselves and properly dispose of used

materials;

• Provide proper personal protective 

equipment and enforce its use;

• Store all chemicals safely and securely; 

• Store chemicals away from forklift traffic

areas.

6 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 7
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Charging Stations

Hazard: Fires and explosion risks are possible

unless proper guidelines are followed.

Solutions:

• Prohibit smoking and open flames in and

around charging stations;

• Provide adequate ventilation to disperse

fumes from gassing batteries;

• Ensure that fire extinguishers are available

and fully charged;

• Provide proper personal protective 

equipment such as rubber gloves and eye 

and face protection;

• Properly position forklifts and apply brakes

before attempting to change or charge 

batteries; follow required procedures when

refueling gas or propane fueled forklifts; 

• Provide conveyors, overhead hoists or

equivalent materials handling equipment

for servicing batteries;

• Provide an eyewashing and safety shower

facility for employees exposed to battery

acids.

Poor Ergonomics

Hazard: Improper lifting, repetitive motion or

poor design of operations can lead to musculoskeletal disorders in workers.

Solutions: 

• If possible, use powered equipment instead

of requiring a manual lift for heavy materials;

• Reduce lifts from shoulder height and from

floor height by repositioning the shelf or bin;

• Ensure overhead lighting is adequate for

the task at hand;

• Provide employees with task-oriented

ergonomic training; 

• Use your legs and keep your back in a natural position while lifting; 

• Test the load to be lifted to estimate its

weight, size and bulk, and to determine the

proper lifting method;

• Get help if the load exceeds the maximum

weight a person can lift safely without

assistance;

• Don’t twist while carrying a load, but shift

your feet and take small steps in the direction you want to turn; 

• Keep floors clean and free of slip and trip

hazards.

8 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 9
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Other Hazards

Inadequate fire safety provisions, improper

use of lockout procedures and failure to wear

personal protective equipment also create

hazards in the warehouse workplace. 

Employers should have an emergency plan

that describes what is expected of employees

in the event of an emergency, including:

• Provisions for emergency exit locations and

evacuation procedures;

• Procedures for accounting for all employees

and visitors; 

• Location and use of fire extinguishers and

other emergency equipment.

Warehouse operations need a lockout/tagout

program to prevent equipment from being

accidentally energized and injuring employees.

Employees required to perform these operations should be trained and all employees

should have a working knowledge of the 

program.

Finally, management at warehouse operations

needs to conduct a site hazard assessment to

determine what personal protective equipment

(PPE) must be worn based on the hazards 

present and train warehouse employees on

proper PPE selection, use and maintenance.

Think Safety Checklists

The following checklists may help

you take steps to avoid hazards that

cause injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

As always, be cautious and seek help

if you are concerned about a potential hazard.

General Safety

❏Exposed or open loading dock doors and

other areas that employees could fall 4

feet or more or walk off should be chained

off, roped off or otherwise blocked.

❏Floors and aisles are clear of clutter, 

electrical cords, hoses, spills and other 

hazards that could cause employees to

slip, trip or fall.

❏Proper work practices are factored into

determining the time requirements for an

employee to perform a task.

❏Employees performing physical work

have adequate periodic rest breaks 

to avoid fatigue levels that could result in

greater risk of accidents and reduced 

quality of work.

❏ Newly-hired employees receive general

ergonomics training and task-specific 

training.

❏The warehouse is well ventilated.

❏Employees are instructed on how to avoid

heat stress in hot, humid environments.

❏Employees are instructed on how to work

in cold environments.

❏The facility has lockout/tagout procedures.

10 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 11
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Materials Handling Safety 

❏There are appropriately marked and 

sufficiently safe clearances for aisles and

at loading docks or passageways where

mechanical handling equipment is used.

❏Loose/unboxed materials which might fall

from a pile are properly stacked by blocking, interlocking or limiting the height of

the pile to prevent falling hazards.

❏Bags, containers, bundles, etc. are stored

in tiers that are stacked, blocked, interlocked and limited in height so that they

are stable and secure to prevent sliding

or collapse.

❏Storage areas are kept free from accumulation of materials that could lead to tripping, fire, explosion or pest infestations.

❏Excessive vegetation is removed from

building entrances, work or traffic areas

to prevent possible trip or fall hazards

due to visual obstructions.

❏Derail and/or bumper blocks are provided

on spur railroad tracks where a rolling car

could contact other cars being worked on

and at entrances to buildings, work or 

traffic areas.

❏Covers and/or guardrails are provided to

protect personnel from the hazards of 

stair openings in floors, meter or equipment pits and similar hazards.

❏Personnel use proper lifting techniques.

❏Elevators and hoists for lifting materials/

containers are properly used with adequate safe clearances, no obstructions,

appropriate signals and directional warning signs.

Hazard Communication Safety

❏All hazardous materials containers 

are properly labeled, indicating the

chemical’s identity, the manufacturer’s

name and address, and appropriate 

hazard warnings. 

❏There is an updated list of hazardous

chemicals.

❏The facility has a written program that 

covers hazard determination, including

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), 

labeling and training.

❏There is a system to check that each

incoming chemical is accompanied by 

a MSDS.

❏All employees are trained in the requirements of the hazard communication

standard, the chemical hazards to which

they are exposed, how to read and

understand a MSDS and chemical labels,

and on what precautions to take to 

prevent exposure.

❏All employee training is documented.

❏All outside contractors are given a complete list of chemical products, hazards

and precautions.

❏Procedures have been established to 

maintain and evaluate the effectiveness

of the current program.

❏Employees use proper personal protective

equipment when handling chemicals.

❏All chemicals are stored according to the

manufacturer’s recommendations and

local or national fire codes.

12 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 13
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Forklift Safety

❏Powered industrial trucks (forklifts) meet

the design and construction requirements

established in American National

Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks,

Part II ANSI B56.1-1969.

❏ Written approval from the truck 

manufacturer has been obtained for any

modifications or additions that affect

the capacity and safe operation of the

vehicle.

❏Capacity, operation and maintenance

instruction plates, tags or decals are

changed to specify any modifications or

additions to the vehicle.

❏ Nameplates and markings are in place

and maintained in a legible condition.

❏Forklifts that are used in hazardous locations are appropriately marked/approved

for such use.

❏Battery charging is conducted only in 

designated areas.

❏Appropriate facilities are provided 

for flushing and neutralizing spilled 

electrolytes, for fire extinguishing, for 

protecting charging apparatus from 

damage by trucks and for adequate 

ventilation to disperse fumes from

gassing batteries.

❏Conveyors, overhead hoists or equivalent

materials handling equipment are provided

for handling batteries.

❏Reinstalled batteries are properly 

positioned and secured.

❏Carboy tilters or siphons are used for

handling electrolytes.

❏Forklifts are properly positioned and

brakes applied before workers start to

change or charge batteries.

❏Vent caps are properly functioning.

❏Precautions are taken to prevent smoking,

open flames, sparks or electric arcs in

battery charging areas and during storage/changing of propane fuel tanks.

❏Tools and other metallic objects are kept

away from the top of uncovered batteries.

❏Concentrations of noxious gases and

fumes are kept below acceptable levels.

❏Forklift operators are competent to operate a vehicle safely as demonstrated by

successful completion of training and

evaluation conducted and certified by

persons with the knowledge, training and

experience to train operators and evaluate their performance.

❏The training program content includes 

all truck-related topics, workplace-related

topics and the requirements of 29 CFR

1910.178 for safe truck operation.

❏Refresher training and evaluation is 

conducted whenever an operator has

been observed operating the vehicle in

an unsafe manner or has been involved

in an accident or a near-miss incident. 

❏Refresher training and evaluation is 

conducted whenever an operator is

assigned to drive a different type of truck

or whenever a condition in the workplace

changes in a manner that could affect

safe operation of the truck.

❏Evaluations of each operator’s performance are conducted at least once every

three years.

14 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 15
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

❏Load engaging means are fully lowered,

with controls neutralized, power shut 

off and brakes set when a forklift is left

unattended.

❏ Operators maintain a safe distance from

the edge of ramps or platforms while

using forklifts on any elevated dock, 

platform or freight car.

❏There is sufficient headroom for the forklift and operator under overhead installations, lights, pipes, sprinkler systems, etc.

❏ Overhead guards are provided in good

condition to protect forklift operators

from falling objects.

❏ Operators observe all traffic regulations,

including authorized plant speed limits.

❏Drivers are required to look in the direction of and keep a clear view of the path

of travel.

❏ Operators run their trucks at a speed that

will permit the vehicle to stop in a safe

manner.

❏Dock boards (bridge plates) are properly

secured when loading or unloading from

dock to truck.

❏Stunt driving and horseplay are prohibited.

❏All loads are stable, safely arranged and

fit within the rated capacity of the truck.

❏ Operators fill fuel tanks only when the

engine is not running.

❏Replacement parts of trucks are equivalent

in terms of safety with those used in the

original design.

❏Trucks are examined for safety before

being placed into service and unsafe 

or defective trucks are removed from

service. 

Warehouse Safety &

Health Resources

Most resource materials can be found

on the OSHA website: www.osha.gov

Materials Handling

Materials Handling and Storage

OSHA Publication 2236 (Revised 2002). 

559KB PDF, 40 pages.

A comprehensive guide to hazards and safe

work practices in handling materials.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2236.pdf

Electrical Hazards

Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

OSHA Publication 3120 (Revised 2002). 

174 KB PDF, 45 pages.

This booklet presents OSHA’s general requirements for controlling hazardous energy during

service or maintenance of machines or equipment.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3120.pdf

Controlling Electrical Hazards 

OSHA Publication 3075 (Revised 2002). 

349KB PDF, 71 pages.

This publication provides an overview of basic

electrical safety on the job.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3075.pdf

Safety and Health Topics: Lockout/Tagout

OSHA website index to information about 

lockout/tagout, including hazard recognition,

compliance, standards and directives, Review

Commission and Administrative Law Judge

Decisions, standard interpretations and

Compliance Letters, compliance assistance 

and training.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/controlhazardous

energy/index.html

16 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 17
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Evacuation Plans and Procedures

An eTool designed to help small, low-hazard

service or retail businesses implement an emergency action plan and comply with OSHA's

emergency standards.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/

index.html

Fire Safety

Safety and Health Topics: Fire Safety

OSHA website index to information on fire safety.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/firesafety/index.html

Fire Safety Advisor

OSHA's Fire Safety Advisor is an interactive

expert software. It will help explain and apply

OSHA's Fire Safety-related standards. It can 

be used online or is available for download.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/oshasoft/ 

softfirex.html

Forklift Safety

Safety and Health Topics: Powered 

Industrial Trucks

OSHA website index links to specific requirements and other Federal agency requirements.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/poweredindustrialtrucks/index.html

Sample Daily Checklists for Powered Industrial Trucks

 http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/ote/trng-materials/pit/daily_pit_checklist.html

Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Workers

Who Work Near Forklifts

NIOSH Alert Pub. No. 2001-109 (June 2001).

This alert instructs workers in the steps they can

take to protect themselves near forklifts. It is also

available as a downloadable PDF document.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/2001-109.html

Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition 

Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts

OSHA Safety and Health Bulletin (2003), 4

pages. Available as a PDF document, 109 KB.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib093003.html

Hazard Communication

OSHA’s website index for resources on hazard

communication.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazardcommunications/index.html

More Hazard Communication

Frequently Asked Questions for Hazard

Communication. OSHA, 6 pages.

http://www.osha.gov/html/faq-hazcom.html 

Hazard Communication Standard.

OSHA Fact Sheet (1993), 3 pages.

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.shw

_document?p_table=FACT_SHEETS&p_id=151

Hazard Communication Guidelines for

Compliance. OSHA Publication 3111 (2000), 112

KB PDF, 33 pages.

This document aids employers in understanding

the Hazard Communication standard and in

implementing a hazard communication program.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3111.pdf

Chemical Hazard Communication. OSHA

Publication 3084 (1998), 248 KB PDF, 31 pages.

This booklet answers several basic questions

about chemical hazard communication.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3084.pdf

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards.

Handy source of general industrial hygiene

information on several hundred chemicals/

classes for workers, employers and occupational health professionals.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npg.html

18 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 19
Ergonomics

Safety and Health Topics: Ergonomics

OSHA website index to resources and publications on ergonomics.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/index.html

Grocery Warehousing – Ergonomics

An e-tool specific for warehousing operations in

the grocery industry.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/grocery 

warehousing/index.html

Personal Protective Equipment

Safety and Health Topics:

Personal Protective Equipment 

OSHA’s website index to hazard recognition,

control and training related to personal protective equipment.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotective

equipment/index.html

Personal Protective Equipment. OSHA

Publication 3151 (2004), 695KB PDF, 44 pages.

Discusses equipment most commonly used for

protection for the head, including eyes and face,

and the torso, arms, hands and feet. The use of

equipment to protect against life-threatening

hazards is also discussed.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3151/

osha3151.html

Warehouse Industry

Cooperative Programs

Voluntary Protection Programs

Numerous VPP worksites that OSHA 

recognizes for their excellent safety and health

management systems deal with the hazards 

of warehousing and storage. These model 

worksites are willing to share their expertise

and many are available to mentor other 

businesses. For further information on how

VPP participants can help you, contact the VPP

Manager in your OSHA Regional Office or the

Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’

Association, 7600-E Leesburg Pike, Suite 440,

Falls Church, VA 22043, telephone (703) 761-

1146.

Alliance Program

Alliances enable organizations committed to

workplace safety and health to collaborate

with OSHA to prevent injuries and illnesses in

the workplace. A number of Alliances have

an impact on the warehousing industry,

including the following:

Retail Industry Leaders Association

The OSHA Alliance with the Retail Industry

Leaders Association (RILA) is focused on

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

20 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 21
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

22 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 23

sharing safety and health best practices and

technical knowledge, including ergonomics in

retail warehousing and distribution facilities.

Industrial Truck Association

The Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and

OSHA also have an Alliance to promote the

safe operation of powered industrial trucks

through training and outreach. The goal of the

Alliance is to assist employers and employees

in reducing and preventing exposure to

potential hazards associated with the use of

powered industrial trucks in general, and in

warehouses in particular.

International Warehouse Logistics Association

OSHA and the International Warehouse

Logistics Association (IWLA) work together 

to protect employees’ safety and health,

including hard-to-reach youth workers. The

Alliance addresses materials handling, forklift

safety, hazard communication and other

issues unique to the public warehouse industry.

National Lumber and Building Material 

Dealers Association

OSHA has an Alliance with the National

Lumber and Building Material Dealers

Association (NLBMDA) to increase overall

safety awareness in that industry while 

specifically addressing recordkeeping issues,

preventing forklift accidents and avoiding 

lifting strains.

NJ Warehouse

Operation - A Success Story 

OSHA recommendations result in

immediate, high payoff for an East

Coast warehouse operation.

Injury Reduction

Recently, a New Jersey warehouse operation

had been averaging two back injuries a

month. After adopting several OSHA 

recommendations for reducing ergonomic

risk factors specific to their operations, the

company reported zero back injuries.

Boosting Morale & Productivity

And there was another benefit from adopting

OSHA’s recommendations. According to the

Marlton, NJ OSHA area office, company

sources reported that both the morale and

productivity of the company’s 50 warehouse

employees had subsequently increased. 

Ongoing Help

As part of OSHA’s ongoing efforts to do a 

better job in promoting workers’ safety and

health, the agency has developed a program

to help identify certain industries that have

exceptionally high injury rates. One of these

industries is warehousing. By identifying

these workplaces, OSHA is better able to

assist businesses in reducing their high injury

rates. Through the Site Specific Targeting

Plan, OSHA performs a comprehensive 

evaluation of a workplace and, with the help

of its technical experts, helps the employer

develop a plan for improving its employees’

safety and health.
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

24 WORKER SAFETY SERIES WAREHOUSING 25

Feasible Controls

In OSHA’s detailed evaluation, each hazard

was carefully described, including photographs illustrating the task to help clearly

show the hazard. For each hazard, OSHA 

specialists detailed several feasible controls.

These were straightforward, easy-to-implement actions such as:

• Adjusting the height of shelves; 

• Providing stools or ladders to employees; 

• Reducing the depth of shelving;

• Raising loading heights; 

• Evaluating the flow and volume of orders

so faster-moving products are placed on

easier-to-reach shelves.

Also, OSHA’s evaluation report detailed a list

of available resources, including on-site 

consultation visits, that the company could

use in developing improved ways to prevent

injuries.

The company adopted 13 of the 19 feasible

controls that OSHA recommended. And the

result, thus far, speaks for itself: a perfect zero

for back injuries, improved productivity and

higher employee morale.

Specific Recommendations

OSHA’s recommendations were developed

specifically for this New Jersey warehouse

operation by OSHA’s Salt Lake City Technical

Support Center following an inspection of the

186,000 square foot facility under the

agency’s Site Specific Targeting Plan which

included a comprehensive walkaround of the

workplace and a review of its injury records.

Avoiding MSDs

OSHA compliance officers worked with

experts at the Salt Lake City Center to tailor

specific recommendations to address the

potential ergonomic risk factors they

observed. Specialists at Salt Lake City 

analyzed the warehouse’s various operations

and recommended 19 steps, known as 

“feasible controls,” that the employer could

take to help employees to avoid musculosketal disorders (MSDs).

Hazards Identified

Some of the hazards identified by OSHA

included:

• Employees had to reach elevated and 

distant locations in storage shelves to

access materials;

• Workers had to repeatedly bend to reach

low-level locations at floor level to access

materials;

• Employees were lifting and placing heavy

boxes onto pallets placed on the floor; 

• Employees were performing forceful finger

tasks with their wrists in bent postures

while pricing products at poorly designed

workstations.
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of

America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education;

establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and

health.

This informational booklet provides a general

overview of a particular topic related to OSHA

standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Because interpretations and enforcement policy

may change over time, you should consult current

OSHA administrative interpretations and decisions

by the Occupational Safety and Health Review

Commission and the Courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements.

This publication is in the public domain and may

be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested but not required.

This information is available to sensory impaired

individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-

1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.