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)

• Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements. Final Rules  66:5916-6135, (2001, January 19).
• Search all available Federal Registers.

• Wearing short-sleeved shirts while performing a thermal spray operation with exposure to hexavalent chromium fumes. (2007, January 25).
• Reiteration of Existing OSHA Policy on Indoor Air Quality: Office Temperature/Humidity and Environmental Tobacco Smoke. (2003, February 24).
• Acceptable methods to reduce heat stress hazards in the workplace. (2001, October 17). Identifies feasible and acceptable methods that can be used to reduce heat stress in workplaces.
• Interpretation of OSHA requirements for personal protective equipment to be used during marine oil spill emergency response operations. (1995, September 11). 29 CFR 1910.132(d) mandates the employer to perform a hazard assessment of the workplace to determine if the use of PPE is necessitated; select and mandate employee use of the necessary PPE; communicate selection of PPE decisions to employees; and select PPE that properly fits the employees.
• Landscaping employees working in extreme temperatures. (1992, July 14).
• Search all available standard interpretations.