Todd Jerome Jenkins, MS, CSP, SMS, CHST, STSC

Safety Aficionado & Ph.D. Student

State Safety and Health Standards

When the OSH Act of 1970 was signed into law by Richard Nixon states had the opportunity to limit federal involvement and authority.  States missed a revenue source that should have been leveraged against businesses that put profit over human life.  “Pursuant to Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Federal OSHA), States may administer their own job safety and health programs, or State Plans, if they meet minimum federal requirements.”  Today 22 states have made the move to administer their own program, whether adopting the federal standards verbatim or adding more stringent requirements.

The Policy Surveillance Program, A LawAtlas Project, housed at the Temple University Beasley School of Law has a full collection of all state safety and health standards.  Virginia, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and California all have an above federal requirements for sanitation.  While the same minus Virginia has adopted higher standards for Gases, Vapors, Fumes, Dust, or Mists.  Knowing all the nuances between the state standards can be cumbersome.  It is important to know what regulations govern the state you work in.

The following state agencies govern safety and health in their perspective state:

Alaska-Alaska Labor Standards and Safety

Arizona-Arizona Administrative Code

Connecticut-CONN-OSHA adopts federal OSHA regulations and standards identically.

California-Cal/OSHA – Title 8 Regulations

Hawaii-HIOSH Standards Administrative Rules

Indiana-Indiana OSHA adopts Federal OSHA regulations and standards identically.

Iowa-Iowa OSHA Administrative Rules and Iowa Code

Kentucky-Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health OSH Regulations

Maryland-Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation

Michigan-MIOSHA Standards

Minnesota-Minnesota OSHA Compliance – Standards & Regulations

Nevada-Nevada Register of Administrative Regulations Standards

New Jersey-PEOSH Health Standards

New Mexico-New Mexico Occupational Health & Safety Bureau

New York-PESH Safety and Health Standards

North Carolina-NCDOL Standards Information and Activity

Oregon-Oregon OSHA Current Laws and Rules

Puerto Rico-PR Normas y Reglamentos (In Spanish)

South Carolina-South Carolina OSHA Safety/Health Standards

Tennessee-TOSHA Standards and Rules

Utah-Utah Administrative Code

Vermont-VOSHA/OSHA Rules

Virgin Islands-VIDOSH adopts federal OSHA regulations and standards identically.

Virginia-OSHA/VOSH Standards

Washington-Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Rules & Requirements

Wyoming-Wyoming OSHA Standards

One thought on “State Safety and Health Standards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *