Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".

Note: Twenty-four states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910 Subpart D, Walking-working surfaces 
  • 1910.22, General requirements [related topic page]
  • 1910.23, Guarding floor and wall openings and holes [related topic page]
• 1910 Subpart F, Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Vehicle-Mounted Work Platforms
  • 1910.68, Manlifts
• 1910 Subpart H, Hazardous materials
  • 1910.111, Storage and handling of anhydrous ammonia [related topic page]
• 1910 Subpart R, Special industries
  • 1910.272, Grain handling facilities
    • Appendix A, Grain handling facilities
    • Appendix B, National consensus standards
    • Appendix C, References for further information
    OSHA has completed a Section 610 review (also known as a “Lookback review”) of the Grain Handling Facilities Standard (29 CFR 1910.272), and issued a final report. OSHA regularly reviews existing standards to determine whether the standards should be maintained without change, rescinded or modified.
• 1910 Subpart S, Electrical
  • 1910.307, Hazardous (classified) locations
• 1910 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances [related topic page]
  • 1910.1000, Air contaminants
    • Table Z-1, Limits for air contaminants

• Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Prevention Plans; Final Rule. Final Rules 67:67949-67965, (2002, November 7). Identifies grain handling facilities (29 CFR 1910.272(d), Emergency action plan as one of the general industry standards that requires an emergency action plan or a fire prevention plan.
• Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements. Final Rules 67:77165-77170, (2002, December 17). Delays the effective date of three provisions of the Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements rule published January 19, 2001. OSHA implemented the hearing loss column requirements on January 1, 2004, and continued to evaluate the MSD provisions over the next year.
• Grain Handling Facilities. Final Rules 61:9577-9584, (1996, March 8). Links to a technical amendment to clarify requirements intended to provide protection for employees who enter flat storage structures.
• Grain Handling Facilities. Proposed Rules 60:54047-54051, (1995, October 19). Proposes to revise a previous exception to the standard for flat storage buildings or tanks and to add a new provision that applies to entry into flat storage facilities which do not have atmospheric hazards.
• Search all available Federal Registers on grain handling.

• Inspection of Grain Handling Facilities, 29 CFR 1910.272. CPL 02-01-004 [CPL 2-1.4C], (1996, November 8). Provides guidelines for inspections conducted in grain handling facilities and clarifications of 29 CFR 1910.272.
• Search all available directives on grain handling.

• Difference between "grain elevators" and "grain handling facilities". (1998, October 15).
• Enforcement of Fall Protection on Moving Stock. (1996, October 18). Links to a response to a request by the National Grain and Food Association (NGFA) for clarification of the Agency's enforcement policy relating to fall hazards from the tops of "rolling stock," such as rail tank or hopper cars and tank or hopper trucks or trailers.
• The terminology "making contact with the interior leg casing" in CPL 02-01-04 and grain handling facilities with less than one million bushels permanent storage facilities. (1991, October 31). Clarifies that application of the 29 CFR 1910.272(q)(7) standard does not preclude the applicability of the bearing monitoring standard [29 CFR 1910.272(q)(4)].
• Grain elevator inspection activities. (1991, May 30).
• Clarification of whether employee emergency or fire prevention plans need to be in written form. (1990, February 5).
• Search all available standard interpretations on grain handling.

• Farmers Coop Elevator Assn. Cited for Alleged Safety Violations. OSHA Regional News Release, (2001, October 9). Reports the failure to control grain dust levels and other safety violations have led to citations against a Greenleaf, KS, grain elevator and feed mill following an explosion that killed one worker and seriously injured another. OSHA has proposed a penalty of $127,400 for two alleged willful and 16 alleged serious violations against the Farmers Coop Elevator Association.

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

• A17, Elevator and Escalator Safety Package. Includes the following:
  • A17.1-2007, Handbook on Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators
  • A17.2-2007, Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators, and Moving Walks
  • A17.3-2005, 2005 Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators
  • A17.4-1999, Guide for Emergency Personnel
  • A17.5-1996, Elevator and Escalator Electrical Equipment