How do I know which OSHA standards apply to my business?

Start with your rulebook: 29 CFR 1926 if you do construction work, 29 CFR 1910 for almost everything else. Then let your hazards drive the list: a hazard assessment tells you whether you have chemicals (hazcom), machines (guarding, lockout/tagout), heights (fall protection), forklifts, noise or biological exposures — each maps to a standard. OSHA also publishes industry-specific pages and eTools.

What are OSHA’s most-cited standards?

OSHA publishes a Top 10 every year, and it is remarkably stable: fall protection (1926.501) has ranked first for over a decade, followed by the likes of hazard communication (1910.1200), ladders (1926.1053), scaffolding (1926.451), lockout/tagout (1910.147), respiratory protection (1910.134), powered industrial trucks (1910.178) and fall protection training (1926.503). If a Top-10 standard applies to you, expect an inspector to check it.

What is the difference between 29 CFR 1910 and 1926?

1910 covers general industry — the default for most employers. 1926 covers construction: building, altering, repairing, painting, demolition. Requirements differ on key points: fall protection triggers at 4 feet in general industry but 6 feet in construction; construction adds trenching, scaffold, steel-erection and crane standards. The nature of the work, not your company label, decides which applies to a given task.

My industry has no specific standard for a hazard — am I off the hook?

No. The General Duty Clause requires you to address recognized serious hazards even where no standard exists — that is exactly how OSHA cites heat illness, workplace violence and ergonomic hazards. Industry guidance, consensus standards and your own hazard assessment establish that a hazard is “recognized”.

Do state plans change which standards apply?

Twenty-plus states run OSHA-approved plans that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and several go further — California has its own ergonomics, heat illness and workplace violence rules, Washington and Oregon have distinctive standards too. If you are in a state-plan state, check the state agency’s rules first; the federal standard is your floor, not necessarily your ceiling.

How does OSHAid adapt to my industry?

OSHAid ships industry accelerators — construction, healthcare, restaurants, bakeries, retail, transportation, education, services — that pre-load work areas and typical hazards for your activity, and the AI assistant suggests hazards and controls in your industry’s vocabulary. You then adjust on site with photos. The result maps to the standards above and feeds your records and action plans automatically.

OSHAidProductsDemosIndustriesPricingMoreClient access Create my accountFree🇺🇸ENCreate my accountIndustries & standards

OSHA standards by industry: what applies to your business

OSHA compliance is universal — every covered employer has the same core duties — but the standards that matter day to day depend entirely on what you do. Federal OSHA standards are organized in parts: 29 CFR 1910 for general industry (the default for most workplaces, from restaurants to warehouses), 29 CFR 1926 for construction, plus parts for maritime (1915–1918) and agriculture (1928).This page maps the standards that dominate inspections and citations in the main sectors, and links to our detailed industry guides. Whatever your industry, the method is the same: a hazard assessment tells you which hazards you have, the standards tell you what OSHA expects for each, and the written programs document how you comply.

Home
OSHA standards by industry

Updated on July 14, 2026

1910 or 1926? Finding your rulebook

The first question is which part applies. 29 CFR 1910 — “general industry” — is the default: offices, retail, restaurants, healthcare, manufacturing, warehousing. 29 CFR 1926 applies to construction work: building, altering or repairing structures, including painting and decorating. The same employer can be under both — a maintenance crew doing renovation work falls under 1926 for that work, back under 1910 in the shop.

The distinction matters because thresholds and rules differ: general industry requires fall protection starting at 4 feet, construction at 6 feet; construction has trenching, scaffolding and crane standards with no 1910 equivalent. State-plan states enforce standards at least as strict, sometimes stricter (California is the usual example). When no specific standard covers a hazard, the General Duty Clause still applies.

Your OSHA compliance ready in 30 minutes

Free · No credit card · Industry-specific hazards pre-loaded

Create my accountFree

Construction: 29 CFR 1926 and the Fatal Four

Construction is OSHA’s most scrutinized sector, because it is consistently the deadliest: the “Fatal Four” — falls, struck-by objects, electrocutions, and caught-in/between — account for the majority of construction deaths, with falls the leading cause by far. Fall protection under 1926.501 has been OSHA’s most-cited standard nationwide for over a decade.

The 1926 requirements that dominate citations and inspections:

Fall protection — 1926.501/502/503: guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest at 6 feet or more; training required.
Scaffolding — 1926.451: capacity, platform construction, access, competent-person inspection.
Ladders and stairways — 1926.1053: selection, angle, extension above landing, inspection.
Excavations — 1926.651/652: protective systems below 5 feet, competent-person inspections before each shift, spoil piles 2 feet back.
Silica — 1926.1153: exposure control plan, wet methods or vacuum dust collection for cutting concrete and masonry.
Eye/face protection and head protection — 1926.102/100; electrical safe work practices — subpart K.
See our dedicated guide: OSHA compliance for construction.

Healthcare: bloodborne pathogens, patient handling, violence

Healthcare and social assistance employ some of the largest workforces in the country — and record some of the highest rates of nonfatal injuries and illnesses, driven by patient handling, needlesticks and workplace violence. The standards and enforcement themes that matter most:

Bloodborne pathogens — 1910.1030: a written Exposure Control Plan reviewed annually, universal precautions, sharps with engineered protections, free hepatitis B vaccination, post-exposure follow-up.
Tuberculosis and airborne exposures: respiratory protection program under 1910.134 where TB or other airborne exposure risk exists (N95 fit testing, medical evaluation).
Hazard communication — 1910.1200: disinfectants, sterilants (glutaraldehyde, peracetic acid), hazardous drugs.
Ergonomics / safe patient handling: no specific federal standard — OSHA cites serious lifting hazards under the General Duty Clause; several states mandate safe patient handling programs.
Workplace violence: also a General Duty Clause matter, with OSHA guidance for healthcare; prevention programs are the expected control.
See our dedicated guide: OSHA compliance for healthcare.

Manufacturing: machines, energy, noise and chemicals

Manufacturing lives under general industry rules, with machine-related standards at the center. Amputation hazards from unguarded machinery and uncontrolled energy during maintenance are the classic citations:

Machine guarding — 1910.212: point-of-operation guarding on presses, saws, grinders and rotating equipment.
Lockout/tagout — 1910.147: written energy control program, machine-specific procedures, one lock per authorized worker, annual procedure inspection.
Hazard communication — 1910.1200: chemical inventory, labels, SDS access, training.
Occupational noise — 1910.95: hearing conservation program at 85 dBA 8-hour TWA (monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection).
Powered industrial trucks — 1910.178; welding, cutting and brazing — subpart Q; respiratory protection — 1910.134 where fumes or dust require it.
Emergency action and fire prevention plans — 1910.38/39 — see written safety programs.

Warehousing, retail and services: the everyday standards

Warehousing has become one of OSHA’s enforcement priorities as the sector has grown — its injury rates run well above the private-sector average. Retail, restaurants and services share many of the same everyday hazards at lower intensity:

Powered industrial trucks — 1910.178: operator training and certification, truck inspection, pedestrian separation.
Exit routes — 1910.36/37: enough exits, unlocked, unobstructed, marked — blocked exits are a classic citation in stockrooms.
Materials handling and storage — 1910.176: secure stacking, clear aisles; walking-working surfaces and slips/trips/falls — 1910.22.
Ergonomics: manual lifting in warehouses, repetitive checkout work in retail — General Duty Clause territory with abundant OSHA guidance.
Hazard communication for cleaning products and chemicals — 1910.1200 — and fire prevention basics everywhere.
See our guides: warehousing & transportation, retail, restaurants and services.

Quick map: the standards that matter most, by industry

The standards below dominate citations in each sector. Every employer also owes the cross-cutting basics: hazard communication, PPE assessment, emergency action plan, recordkeeping.

Industry	Rulebook	Standards to check first
Construction	29 CFR 1926	Fall protection (501), scaffolds (451), ladders (1053), excavations (652), silica (1153)
Healthcare	29 CFR 1910	Bloodborne pathogens (1030), respiratory protection (134), hazcom (1200), General Duty (violence, lifting)
Manufacturing	29 CFR 1910	Machine guarding (212), lockout/tagout (147), noise (95), hazcom (1200), forklifts (178)
Warehousing / transportation	29 CFR 1910	Forklifts (178), exit routes (36–37), materials handling (176), walking surfaces (22)
Restaurants / food	29 CFR 1910	Hazcom (1200), walking surfaces (22), PPE (132), exit routes, machine guarding (slicers, mixers)
Retail / services / education	29 CFR 1910	Exit routes, hazcom (1200), walking surfaces (22), ergonomics (General Duty)

Our OSHA guides by industry

For each industry, our guide covers the typical hazards, the standards that apply, and how OSHAid pre-loads a hazard assessment adapted to your activity:

Frequently asked questions

How do I know which OSHA standards apply to my business?
Start with your rulebook: 29 CFR 1926 if you do construction work, 29 CFR 1910 for almost everything else. Then let your hazards drive the list: a hazard assessment tells you whether you have chemicals (hazcom), machines (guarding, lockout/tagout), heights (fall protection), forklifts, noise or biological exposures — each maps to a standard. OSHA also publishes industry-specific pages and eTools.
What are OSHA’s most-cited standards?
What is the difference between 29 CFR 1910 and 1926?
My industry has no specific standard for a hazard — am I off the hook?
Do state plans change which standards apply?
How does OSHAid adapt to my industry?

Official sources

The regulatory information on this page is based on the official texts and references below.

A hazard assessment pre-loaded for your industry

OSHAid’s industry accelerators and AI assistant start you from the hazards and standards of your sector — not a blank page. Free to start, on iOS, Android and web.

Create my accountFree Download on theApp Store GET IT ONGoogle PlayContentsFrequently asked questionsON THIS PAGE — OSHA STANDARDS BY INDUSTRY1910 or 1926? Finding your rulebookConstruction: 29 CFR 1926 and the Fatal FourHealthcare: bloodborne pathogens, patient handling, violenceManufacturing: machines, energy, noise and chemicalsWarehousing, retail and services: the everyday standardsQuick map: the standards that matter most, by industryOur OSHA guides by industryFrequently asked questions

The intelligent OSHA companion that automates your field compliance. Mobile app + web console + specialized safety AI agent, built for US workplaces.

🇫🇷 Hosted in EuropeGDPR CompliantProduct

Industries

Guides

More info