Federal OSHA and 26 state-run safety plans regulate workplace safety for more than 130 million workers. Understanding what the standards actually require — and how they differ between states — is the first step to building a compliant safety program.
Each guide cites the specific CFR section or state plan regulation it covers, explains what employers must do in plain language, and notes where Cal/OSHA, Washington, or other state plans are stricter than federal OSHA. New guides are published daily.
Need managed compliance support? Book a free call with EHS Inc — they handle ISNetworld, Avetta, Veriforce, and written program management end-to-end.
OSHA Guides
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1400 Crane Compliance for Roofing & Specialty Trade Contractors: Assembly/Disassembly Director, Operator Certification, and Pre-Shift Inspection Requirements
How OSHA's crane standard 29 CFR 1926.1400 gets triggered after a roofing near-miss — and what inspectors actually look for in your A/D director, operator cert, and pre-shift records.
Read Guide →Trenching and Excavation Compliance Under 29 CFR 1926.652: The Paperwork Trail That Kills Industrial Maintenance and Millwright Contractors in OSHA Audits
What's missing vs. what's wrong in your trenching paperwork. A deep OSHA compliance guide for industrial maintenance and millwright contractors.
Read Guide →OSHA Recordkeeping Exemptions in Food Processing and Meatpacking: What Your 300 Log Obligation Actually Looks Like
Which food processing and meatpacking employers are exempt from OSHA 300 log requirements—and what partial exemption actually means on the floor when OSHA walks in.
Read Guide →OSHA Informal Conference Guide for Industrial Maintenance & Millwright Contractors: Negotiating Citation Reductions and Protecting Your Paperwork Trail
How millwright and industrial maintenance contractors can request an OSHA informal conference, negotiate citation reductions, and avoid critical paperwork mistakes.
Read Guide →OSHA Inspection Walkaround in Food Processing & Meatpacking Plants: What Inspectors Look at First, Who Can Accompany Them, and What You're Not Required to Provide
Learn exactly how OSHA conducts walkaround inspections in food processing and meatpacking plants — what CSHOs see first, your rights, and where compliance gaps get exposed.
Read Guide →OSHA Citation Types Explained for Warehousing & Distribution: Willful, Serious, Repeat, and How to Contest Each
Learn how OSHA citation types—willful, serious, repeat, failure to abate—work in warehouses and 3PLs, including 2024 penalties and contest timelines.
Read Guide →OSHA Programmed vs. Unprogrammed Inspections in Food Processing and Meatpacking Plants: What Triggers Each and How Long You Have to Respond
Learn how OSHA programmed and unprogrammed inspections work in food processing and meatpacking — what triggers each type and your citation response timeline.
Read Guide →Michigan MIOSHA vs Federal OSHA: A Warehousing & Distribution Compliance Guide for 3PL and Fulfillment Centers
Where MIOSHA diverges from federal OSHA in warehouses and fulfillment centers — what a CSHO checks first and how to manage both frameworks.
Read Guide →Oregon OSHA vs Federal OSHA: Recordkeeping, Training, and Enforcement Differences Oregon Metal Fabrication Shops Must Know
Oregon metal fabrication shops face stricter OR-OSHA rules than federal. Here's the specific recordkeeping and training failure mode that triggers most citations.
Read Guide →Washington WISHA vs Federal OSHA: What Warehousing and Distribution Employers Must Do Differently
Where WISHA exceeds federal OSHA in WA warehouses & fulfillment centers — what a CSHO checks first and what 3PL employers must do differently.
Read Guide →Cal/OSHA IIPP Requirements for California Metalworking and Fabrication Shops — The Failure Mode That Gets Them Cited
Cal/OSHA IIPPs get metalworking shops cited for one surprising reason. Learn what CSHOs look for first and how to fix it before the inspection.
Read Guide →Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention (Title 8 Section 3395): What Oil & Gas Contractors Get Wrong and Why It Costs Them
Cal/OSHA Title 8 §3395 is stricter than federal OSHA. Oil & gas contractors think they're compliant—here's exactly why they're not and what a written plan must include.
Read Guide →OSHA 300A Annual Summary: Posting Deadlines, Signatory Requirements, and the 3-Year Retention Rule for Metal Fabrication Shops
The OSHA 300A violation that catches metal fab shops off guard — it's not the posting date. Learn who must sign, what triggers citations, and how to avoid costly recordkeeping failures.
Read Guide →Heat Illness Prevention Under the OSHA General Duty Clause: A Compliance Guide for Oil & Gas Upstream Operations
Oil & gas contractors think they're compliant on heat illness — OSHA disagrees. Here's what CSHOs actually look for on drilling sites and pipelines.
Read Guide →OSHA Emergency Action Plan Requirements (29 CFR 1910.38) for Commercial Construction — What Inspectors Find After a Near-Miss
When OSHA arrives after a construction incident, 29 CFR 1910.38 violations surface fast. Here's exactly what your written EAP must include and what CSHOs look for.
Read Guide →OSHA PPE Requirements 29 CFR 1910.132 for Oil & Gas: Hazard Assessments, Employer-Paid PPE, and the Training Contractors Skip
Oil & gas contractors think they're compliant with 29 CFR 1910.132 — here's what OSHA actually finds on drilling sites, well pads, and pipelines.
Read Guide →Walking and Working Surfaces 29 CFR 1910.22: What OSHA Actually Requires for Housekeeping, Floor Load Ratings, and Aisle Markings in Commercial Construction
What 29 CFR 1910.22 actually requires for housekeeping, floor loads, and aisle markings—and how OSHA finds these violations after a near-miss in commercial construction.
Read Guide →OSHA 300 Log for Electrical Transmission & Distribution Crews: Recording Rules, the 7-Day Deadline, and When Post-Incident Drug Testing Becomes Retaliation
OSHA 300 log requirements for utility T&D crews: what to record, the 7-day rule, and how post-incident drug testing triggers retaliation violations under 29 CFR 1904.35.
Read Guide →29 CFR 1910.22 Walking-Working Surfaces: Housekeeping, Load Ratings, and Exactly What Triggers OSHA Citations
Learn exactly what triggers OSHA citations under 29 CFR 1910.22 — housekeeping failures, unmarked load ratings, and floor condition violations with real enforcement scenarios.
Read Guide →What Does OSHA Require for Heat Illness Prevention at Work?
OSHA requires employers to protect workers from heat illness through water, rest, shade, and acclimatization. Here's what the standard means in practice.
Read Guide →What Does OSHA Require for Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures?
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 requires a written energy control program, authorized employee training, and periodic inspections. Here's what that means for your operation.
Read Guide →What Does OSHA Require for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
OSHA requires employers to assess hazards, select appropriate PPE, provide it at no cost, train workers, and enforce use. Here's the full breakdown.
Read Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Are these OSHA guides free?
Yes. All OSHA guides on OSHIFY are free to read and share. New guides are published every weekday.
Do these guides cover state OSHA plans?
Yes. Our guides cover federal OSHA standards and note where Cal/OSHA, Washington WISHA, Oregon OSHA, Michigan MIOSHA, and other state plans require more than federal minimums.
Where can I get professional OSHA compliance help?
EHS Inc provides fully managed OSHA compliance — including ISNetworld, Avetta, and Veriforce prequalification — for contractors and small businesses.