Subpart A
Only the mandatory provisions of an incorporated standard are enforceable by OSHA. Under 1926.6(a), OSHA adopts by reference the standards listed in the part, but only provisions that use mandatory language (for example, the word "shall") are given the force and effect of OSHA requirements.
No; OSHA cannot enforce a different edition of an incorporated private standard unless it publishes a notice in the Federal Register and makes the material available to the public. 1926.6(c) explains that to enforce any edition other than the one specified, OSHA must issue a Federal Register document and ensure the material is publicly available.
Employers can inspect incorporated private standards at OSHA Regional Offices, the OSHA Docket Office in Washington, DC, or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). 1926.6(c) states that copies of the private standards are available for inspection at any OSHA Regional Office, at the OSHA Docket Office (U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N–3508, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: 202–693–2350 (TTY: 877–889–5627)), and at NARA.
Yes; the 1970 ACGIH Threshold Limit Values edition is incorporated by reference for certain construction air contaminant requirements. 1926.6(d)(1) states that "Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970" is IBR approved for 1926.55(a) and appendix A of 1926.55.
ANSI eye and face protection standards are incorporated by reference for [1926.102(b)]. 1926.6(e)(31) lists "ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2010, Occupational and Educational Personal Eye and Face Protection Devices" as IBR approved for 1926.102(b), and 1926.6(e)(32) lists earlier Z87.1 editions also approved for that same section.
Employers can purchase the incorporated ANSI safety color and sign standards from the ANSI e-Standards Store, the IHS Standards Store, or the TechStreet Store. 1926.6(e)(28)(i) names the ANSI e-Standards Store, 1926.6(e)(28)(ii) names the IHS Standards Store, and 1926.6(e)(28)(iii) names TechStreet as sources for standards such as ANSI Z535.1 and Z535.2 which are IBR approved for 1926.200.
Yes; ANSI B7.1-1970 is incorporated by reference for several construction equipment and machinery provisions. 1926.6(e)(14) lists "ANSI B7.1-1970, Safety Code for the Use, Care, and Protection of Abrasive Wheels" as IBR approved for 1926.57(g) and 1926.303(b)–(d).
Yes; ANSI B56.1-1969 is incorporated by reference for powered industrial truck safety that supports [1926.602(c)]. 1926.6(e)(16) lists "ANSI B56.1-1969, Safety Standards for Powered Industrial Trucks" as IBR approved for 1926.602(c).
ANSI Z35.1-1968 is incorporated by reference for accident prevention signs relevant to 1926.200(b) and 1926.200(c). 1926.6(e)(24) lists "ANSI Z35.1-1968, Specifications for Accident Prevention Signs" as IBR approved for those subsections.
Asbestos remediation activities involving asbestos-containing building materials are covered by the construction asbestos standard, 29 CFR 1926.1101. The November 14, 2024 OSHA letter of interpretation explains that remediation activities involving ACBM fall under the construction standard [29 CFR 1926.1101] rather than the general industry standard; see OSHA's response in the Asbestos remediation protocols letter at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-11-14.
Employers must provide full facepiece supplied-air respirators (SARs) operated in pressure-demand mode and equipped with an auxiliary positive-pressure SCBA whenever Class I asbestos exposures exceed 1 f/cc as an 8-hour TWA. The January 4, 2024 letter of interpretation on respirator selection for Class I asbestos work explains that exposures above 1 f/cc require full facepiece SARs with an auxiliary positive-pressure SCBA, while exposures at or below 1 f/cc allow PAPRs or SARs unless a negative exposure assessment (NEA) has been demonstrated; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-01-04.
Yes; if PPE is required, OSHA requires an employer to perform a workplace hazard assessment and to keep a written certification of that assessment. The March 28, 2024 letter of interpretation explains that the PPE standard (29 CFR 1910.132) requires employers to assess the workplace to determine whether hazards are present that necessitate PPE and to prepare written certification of the assessment when PPE will be required; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28.
Yes; OSHA's sanitation requirements apply unless another federal agency has statutory authority and has issued specific sanitation rules that preempt OSHA. The May 14, 2024 OSHA interpretation concluded that the Federal Railroad Administration has not issued sanitation regulations for roadway workers along the right-of-way, so OSHA sanitation requirements (either 29 CFR 1910.141 or 29 CFR 1926.51 depending on the work) apply; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-05-14.
Yes; 1926.6 lists incorporated private standards and provides purchase information for each issuing organization. 1926.6(e) and its subsections (for example, 1926.6(e)(1) through 1926.6(e)(33)) identify the private standards (ANSI, ACGIH, etc.) and list where copies can be purchased (ANSI e-Standards Store, IHS Standards Store, TechStreet, ACGIH).
Refer to 1926.6(c) for rules about editions: OSHA enforces the specific edition identified in the regulation, and to enforce any other edition OSHA must publish a notice in the Federal Register and make that edition available to the public.
Yes; a conveyance operating in temporary or incomplete guides, suspended by temporary suspension means, or using a temporary hoist machine meets the definition of a suspended scaffold. The December 5, 2023 letter of interpretation on scaffold and fall protection clarifies that those conveyance configurations meet the suspended scaffold definition in 29 CFR 1926.450(b) and therefore must comply with suspended scaffold fall protection and falling object protection requirements; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-12-05.
Employees on conveyances characterized as suspended scaffolds must follow the fall protection requirements in the Scaffold Standard for suspended scaffolds and comply with overhead and falling object protection requirements. The December 5, 2023 OSHA interpretation explains that such conveyances are suspended scaffolds under 29 CFR 1926.450(b) and therefore must meet fall protection requirements in the Scaffold Standard and falling object protection requirements described in that standard; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-12-05.
OSHA's initiative focuses inspections on engineered stone fabrication and installation industries, particularly establishments under NAICS codes 327991 and 423320. The September 22, 2023 memorandum establishes enhanced inspection and compliance efforts in engineered stone fabrication and installation because workers in these industries are at high risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica; see the memorandum at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-09-22.
No; OSHA's Inorganic Arsenic standard does not cover arsenic-treated wood, but employers working with arsenic-treated wood must comply with the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). The May 3, 2023 letter of interpretation explains that although arsenic-treated wood is excluded from 29 CFR 1910.1018, wood dust and CCA-treated wood are hazards covered by 29 CFR 1910.1200 (Hazard Communication), which requires employers to provide training, SDSs, and warnings to workers; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-05-03.
No; OSHA does not mandate a specific interval for CPR retraining for all employers, but it endorses annual retraining as best practice and some specific standards require CPR training. The February 23, 2023 letter of interpretation explains that OSHA canceled CPL 2-2.53 and does not prescribe retraining intervals agency-wide, although its Best Practices guidance recommends annual instructor-led retraining for life‑threatening emergencies and certain standards (for example, confined spaces, logging, electric power) may require CPR training for covered employers; see https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-02-23.
OSHA announced it had published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to seek input on updating lead standards, including medical removal and PEL issues. The July 19, 2022 letter of interpretation states OSHA published an ANPRM on June 28, 2022 to gather comments on areas of the Lead standards that may need updating to better protect workers; see the letter at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2022-07-19.
The purchase contact for incorporated ANSI standards such as ANSI A10.3 is listed in 1926.6(e) and its subparagraphs. 1926.6(e)(1) specifically lists "ANSI A10.3-1970, Safety Requirements for Explosive-Actuated Fastening Tools" as IBR approved for 1926.302(e) and identifies ANSI as the source where the standard can be purchased.
Incorporation by reference means OSHA officially requires you to follow certain external consensus standards (like ANSI, ASME, ASTM) as part of the OSHA construction rules. See 1926.6 for the list of materials OSHA has incorporated by reference and where those materials apply.
You must purchase many incorporated standards from the specific sellers listed in 1926.6 rather than from OSHA. For example, 1926.6(e)(33) directs purchasers to the ANSI e-Standards Store, the IHS Standards Store, or the TechStreet Store; see 1926.6(e)(33).
ANSI Z89.1-2009 is the edition incorporation-by-reference (IBR) approved for use with 1926.100(b)(1)(i). The regulation lists ANSI Z89.1-2009 as IBR-approved for 1926.100(b)(1)(i); see 1926.6(e)(34) and 1926.100(b)(1)(i).
ANSI Z89.1-2003 and ANSI Z89.1-1997 are listed as incorporated-by-reference older editions for use with 1926.100(b)(1). See 1926.6(e)(35) and 1926.6(e)(36) and compare to 1926.100(b)(1).
Employers must ensure employees wear protective helmets where there is a danger of head injury from falling objects or electrical shock as specified in 1926.100(b)(1). The rule references incorporated helmet performance standards—see 1926.100(b) and the IBR'd ANSI helmet standards listed in 1926.6.
ANSI B15.1-1953 (R1958) Safety Code for Mechanical Power-Transmission Apparatus is IBR-approved for 1926.300(b)(2). See 1926.6(f)(1) and 1926.300(b)(2).
ASME B30.5-2004 (Mobile and Locomotive Cranes) is IBR-approved, and it is cited for application to 1926.1414(b), 1926.1414(e), and 1926.1433(b). See 1926.6(h)(2) and the OSHA sections that reference crane requirements at 1926.1414(b) and 1926.1433(b).
The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII (1968), and ASME Power Boilers, Section I (1968), are IBR-approved for specified OSHA sections such as 1926.152(i), 1926.306(a), and 1926.603(a). See 1926.6(h)(5) and the referenced OSHA sections.
ASTM D56-1969 (Tag Closed Tester) and ASTM D93-1969 (Pensky Martens Closed Tester) are IBR-approved for use with 1926.155(i) (flash point testing). See 1926.6(g)(3), 1926.6(g)(4), and 1926.155.
The 2009 Edition of the MUTCD (including Revisions 1 and 2 dated May 2012) is IBR-approved for 1926.200(g) and 1926.201(a). See 1926.6(n)(1) and the OSHA rules at 1926.200(g) and 1926.201(a).
ISO 3471:2008(E) (Earth-moving machinery—ROPS—Laboratory tests and performance requirements) is IBR-approved for 1926.1001(c) and 1926.1002(c). See 1926.6(r)(1) and the linked OSHA sections at 1926.1001(c) and 1926.1002(c).
SAE J167 (Protective Frame with Overhead Protection) and SAE J168 (Protective Enclosures) are IBR-approved and referenced for protective frames and enclosures at 1926.6(u)(3) and 1926.6(u)(4), which support OSHA rules like 1926.1002 and 1926.1003.
Following an incorporated-by-reference standard generally satisfies the OSHA requirement where the OSHA rule specifically references that standard, but you must still meet all OSHA requirements and any conditions in the OSHA section that incorporated it. See 1926.6 for the incorporated materials and note that employers remain responsible for hazard assessments and overall compliance as explained in OSHA guidance such as the PPE hazard assessment interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28.
ANSI Z89.1-2009 copies (the edition IBR-approved for 1926.100(b)(1)(i)) must be purchased from the International Safety Equipment Association; 1926.6(e)(34) lists that source. See 1926.6(e)(34) and the employer obligation in 1926.100(b)(1).
ASTM standards listed in the IBR are available from ASTM International (ASTM); 1926.6(g) provides ASTM contact information and identifies the specific ASTM test methods incorporated. See 1926.6(g) and the OSHA sections that cite those methods, such as 1926.1001(f).
BS EN 13000:2004 and BS EN 14439:2006 are IBR-approved for crane safety requirements cited at 1926.1433(c). See 1926.6(k)(1), 1926.6(k)(2), and 1926.1433(c).
QQ-P-416, Federal Specification Plating Cadmium (Electrodeposited), is IBR-approved for 1926.104(e). See 1926.6(o)(1) and 1926.104(e).
Yes—when 1926.200(g) and 1926.201(a) apply, OSHA references the MUTCD (2009 Edition, with revisions) as the IBR'd manual for traffic control on streets and highways. See 1926.6(n)(1) together with 1926.200(g) and 1926.201(a).
Yes—OSHA considers remediation work involving asbestos-containing building material (ACBM), even in residential settings, to be covered by the construction asbestos standard, 29 CFR 1926.1101. See the OSHA interpretation 'Asbestos remediation protocols' at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-11-14 and 1926.1101.
Yes—OSHA requires employers to assess the workplace to determine whether hazards are present and to provide a written certification of that assessment when PPE is required. OSHA explains this obligation in its PPE hazard assessment interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28 (which discusses 29 CFR 1910.132 requirements and the need for written certification).
When Class I asbestos exposures exceed 1 f/cc as an 8‑hour TWA, employers must provide full facepiece supplied-air respirators (SARs) operated in pressure-demand mode with an auxiliary positive-pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). See OSHA's respirator selection interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-01-04 and 1926.1101.
Yes—OSHA sanitation requirements apply when another federal agency has not issued preempting sanitation rules; FRA has not promulgated sanitation regulations for roadway workers along tracks, so OSHA sanitation standards apply. See OSHA's interpretation on sanitation applicability at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-05-14 and the general authority in 1926.
Yes—conveyances operating in temporary or incomplete guides, suspended by temporary cables, or using temporary hoist machines meet the definition of a suspended scaffold and are subject to the Scaffold Standard (Part L). See OSHA's scaffold and fall protection interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-12-05 and the definition in 1926.450(b).
Yes—OSHA policy allows employers to rely on properly selected and used hearing protectors and an effective Hearing Conservation Program instead of engineering/administrative controls when those protectors will reduce exposure to acceptable levels. OSHA explains this policy and selection considerations in its noise and hearing protection interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2023-03-06; consult applicable OSHA noise and hearing-conservation rules for specific program triggers and requirements.
Yes — when OSHA lists an external standard in 1926.6 and approves it for incorporation by reference, that external document becomes a mandatory part of the OSHA requirement wherever the citation points (for example, SAE J386 is IBR approved at 1926.6(u)(13) for use with 1926.602(a).
See 1926.6 and the specific IBR entry 1926.6(u)(13) for examples and the official list of incorporated materials.
Yes — if PPE will be required, the employer must perform a workplace hazard assessment and must prepare a written certification of that assessment. OSHA's March 28, 2024 Letter of Interpretation explains that 29 CFR 1910.132(d)(1) requires employers to assess the workplace to determine whether hazards are present or likely to be present and that when PPE is required the employer must document the assessment with a written certification.
See OSHA's March 28, 2024 Letter of Interpretation: PPE hazard assessment requirements | Date: 2024-03-28.