OSHA Standards

The following Federal OSHA standards are mandatory; they include provisions that address certain aspects of combustible dust hazards. Some are industry-wide and others and industry-specific.

Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards. 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.

Highlighted Standards

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910 Subpart D, Walking-working surfaces [related topic page]
  • 1910.22, Housekeeping
    
    
• 1910 Subpart E, Exit routes, emergency action plans, and fire prevention plans
  • 1910.38, Emergency action plans [related topic page]
    
    
• 1910 Subpart G, Occupational health and environmental control
  • 1910.94, Ventilation [related topic page]
    
    
• 1910 Subpart J, General environmental controls
  • 1910.146, Permit-required confined spaces [related topic page]
    
    
• 1910 Subpart L, Fire protection [related topic page]
  • 1910.157, Portable fire extinguishers
  • 1910.165, Employee alarm systems
    
    
• 1910 Subpart N, Materials handling and storage
  • 1910.176, Handling materials - general
  • 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks [related topic page]
    
    
• 1910 Subpart R, Special industries
  • 1910.261, Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills [related topic page]
  • 1910.263, Bakery equipment
  • 1910.265, Sawmills [related topic page]
  • 1910.269, Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution [related topic page]
  • 1910.272, Grain handling facilities [related topic page]
    
    
• 1910 Subpart S, Electrical [related topic page]
  • 1910.307, Hazardous (classified) locations
    
    
• 1910 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances [related topic page]
  • 1910.1200, Hazard communication [related topic page]

General Duty Clause

If a hazard is not addressed by an OSHA standard, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, may apply. This section 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". This is discussed further in the Consensus Standards section below.