OSHA Fact Sheets

OSHA Fact SheetEmployees are protected from retaliation for reporting alleged violations ofenvironmental laws and regulations related to industrial...

Fire Ants Fire ants resemble ordinary ants. They average 1/8 to 1/4 inch in length and are reddish brown to black in color. Fire ants display aggre...

Employers should train workers about fire hazards in the workplace and about what to do in a fire emergency. If you want your workers to evacuate, ...

Fireworks SafetyRetail Fireworks Sales Keep exits clear and accessible. Know all exit routes. Maintain view of fireworks. Know alarm procedures. K...

Flood CleanupFlooding can cause the disruption of water purification and sewage disposal systems, overflowing of toxic waste sites, and dislodgemen...

Safe Forklift OperationForklift operators and employees working around these operations are at risk of hazards such as collisions, falls, tip-overs...

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas often found in aqueous (waterbased) solutions. Commonly used as a preservative in medical laborato...

Fungi Hazards and Flood CleanupFlood conditions contribute to the growth and transmission of many kinds of fungi, some of which can cause sickness....

General DecontaminationDuring a flooding event, there is an increased danger of contracting bacterial, viral and protozoal diseases. Floodwaters ca...

Grease Trap Hazards Many businesses use grease traps (also known as grease interceptors) as part of a waste management system to prevent sewer sys...

Grounding Requirements for Portable GeneratorsPortable generators are internal combustion engines used to generate electricity.They are useful when...

Core principle: All employees, including transgender employees, should have access to restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. The Depar...

CONTROL OF SILICA DUST IN CONSTRUCTIONHandheld Power Saws Used to Cut Fiber‑Cement BoardUsing a handheld circular saw to cut fiber-cement board can...

Combustible dusts are fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in air in certain conditions. A dust explosion can be catastro...

Controlling Hazardous Fumes and Gases During WeldingWelding joins materials together by melting a metal work piece along with a filler metal to fo...

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response OSHA’s standards for general industry and the construction industry on hazardous waste operations...

Training Requirements for the Revised Hazard Communication Standard OSHA revised its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to align with the United N...

Health and Safety Recommendations for Workers Who Handle Human Remains Employers and workers face a variety of health hazards when handling, or wo...

Health Effects of Hexavalent Chromium Hexavalent chromium is a toxic form of the element chromium. Hexavalent chromium compounds are man-made and w...

OSHA Fact SheetThe Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191, requires “covered entities” to protect ...

Hearing ConservationWhat is occupational noise exposure?Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems. It is ...

Protecting Workers from the Effects of HeatAt times, workers may be required to work in hot environments for long periods. When the human body is u...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a pathogenic microorganism that can cause potentially life-threatening disease in humans. HBV infection is transmitted ...

The National Fire Protection Association defines “high-rise building” as a building greater than 75 feet (25 m) in height where the building height...

Hispanic OutreachOSHA has made immigrant workplace safety a priority within the agency and iscommitted to identifying ways to improve the safety an...

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a “rotten egg” smell. Some common names for the gas ...

OSHA Fact Sheet The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urge employers (owners and o...

OSHA InspectionsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration is committed to strong, fairand effective enforcement of safety and health requir...

Natural disasters can cause widespread flooding and damage to property and infrastructure. Cleanup and recovery activities involve hazards that can...

Properly maintained Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs), when used in conjunction with good microbiological techniques, provide an effective containment syst...

Laboratory Safety Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)OSHA’s Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard (29 CFR 1910.1450), refer...

Laboratory Safety NoiseThis guidance is advisory in nature and informational in content. It is not a standard or a regulation, and it neither creat...

Laboratory Safety OSHA Laboratory StandardOSHA’s Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard(29 CFR 1910.1450), referred ...

Laboratory Safety: Cryogens and Dry Ice Cryogens are substances used to produce very low temperatures [below -153°C (-243°F)], such as liquid nitro...

Protecting Workers from Lead HazardsCleaning up after a flood requires hundreds of workers to renovate and repair, or tear down and dispose of, dam...

What is the OSHA standard for control of hazardous energy sources?The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Title 29 ...

Lyme Disease FactsOSHA has published a hazard information bulletin (HIB) to provide guidance to people who reside in high or moderate risk areas in...

Protecting Workers from Mercury Exposure While Crushing and Recycling Fluorescent BulbsThis fact sheet assists employers and workers in understandi...

BRIEF INCIDENT DESCRIPTIONA temporary worker died while removing the coating from a bathtub in a residential building. The worker was alone in a sm...

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution: Minimum Approach Distance, Information Transfer and Training Requirements This fact sheet...

Molds are the most common forms of fungi found on earth. They can grow on almost any material, as long as moisture and oxygen are available. Most m...

Motor Vehicle Safety FactsThe U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) in partnership with the Department of ...

How can OSHA help new businesses?Starting a new business can be challenging. OSHA can help by explaining the federal regulatory requirements concer...

NorovirusesNoroviruses (NoVs) were named after Norwalk, Ohio, where a NoV strain (subsequently called the Norwalk strain) caused the first sudden m...

Fact SheetThousands of federal employees are injured, become ill, or are killed in work-related incidents each year. During FY 2004, approximately ...

OSHA Penalty Adjustments In November 2015, Congress enacted legislation requiring federal agencies to adjust their civil penalties to account for i...

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chem...

OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to protect workers who are occupationally exposed to blood and other pot...