OSHA Compliance: The Complete Safety Requirements Checklist for Construction and General Industry

Most OSHA standards apply regardless of company size. However, employers with 10 or fewer employees are partially exempt from routine programmed inspections (though they can still be inspected following accidents, fatalities, or worker complaints). Injury and illness recordkeeping requirements (the OSHA 300 Log) have size and industry-based exemptions — employers with 10 or fewer employees in low-hazard industries are exempt from routine recordkeeping, but must still report fatalities and severe injuries.

OSHA prioritizes inspections in this order: (1) Imminent danger situations, (2) Severe injuries or fatalities — employers must report within 8 hours for fatalities and 24 hours for hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye, (3) Worker complaints and referrals, (4) Targeted inspections under OSHA's National and Local Emphasis Programs for high-hazard industries, (5) Follow-up inspections to verify abatement of previous violations. Worker complaints are a major trigger — any worker can file a complaint online or by phone, and OSHA must respond.

First: request credentials and the stated reason for the inspection. Request an opening conference to understand the scope. You cannot legally obstruct the inspection, but you have rights. Designate an authorized company representative to accompany the inspector at all times (this limits what the inspector can observe unsupervised). Take your own notes and photographs wherever the inspector does. Do not volunteer information beyond what is asked. Do not sign any documents without consulting legal counsel. Employees have the right to speak privately with the inspector.

Serious: The employer knew, or should have known, of a hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm, and did not take reasonable steps to prevent it. Maximum penalty: $15,625. Most common citation type. Willful: The employer intentionally and knowingly violated OSHA standards, or showed plain indifference to employee safety. Does not require the employer to intend harm — just intentional disregard for the law. Maximum penalty: $156,259 per violation. Can support criminal prosecution if a worker dies. The presence of prior citations, management awareness of the hazard, and written instructions employees were ignoring all support a willful finding.

Abatement deadlines are specified in the citation. Imminent dangers must be corrected immediately or OSHA can seek a court order to close the workplace. Serious violations typically have a 30-day abatement period. If more time is legitimately needed (long lead times for equipment, complex engineering solutions), you can file a Petition for Modification of Abatement (PMA) with supporting documentation. Once the deadline passes without abatement, Failure to Abate penalties begin accruing at up to $15,625 per day.

The OSHA 300 Log records all work-related injuries and illnesses throughout the year. Required for employers with 11 or more employees in most industries (some low-hazard retail and service industries are partially exempt). You must record each injury/illness within 7 days of learning of it. At year end, complete the 300A Annual Summary and post it where employees can see it from February 1 through April 30. Retain all three forms (300, 300A, 301 Incident Report) for 5 years. High-hazard industries and larger employers must electronically submit 300A data to OSHA annually via the ITA (Injury Tracking Application).

OSHA technically has jurisdiction over home offices, but in a 2000 enforcement policy letter, OSHA stated it will not conduct inspections of employees' home offices, and that employers are not responsible for employees' home offices. However, employers are still responsible for hazards they create in the home environment (e.g., hazardous materials sent to a home worker) and must still provide safe equipment. Work-from-home injuries may still be recordable on the OSHA 300 Log if they are work-related.

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act — the "General Duty Clause" — requires employers to maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. OSHA uses this provision when no specific standard applies, or when the standard doesn't fully address the hazard. Common General Duty Clause citations include: excessive heat exposure, workplace violence (particularly in healthcare and retail), ergonomic hazards, and COVID-19 exposure in high-risk settings. To successfully cite under this provision, OSHA must show the hazard was recognized by the employer or industry.

You have exactly 15 working days from receipt of the citation to file a Notice of Contest. Miss this deadline and the citation becomes final and non-appealable. A Notice of Contest must be in writing and sent to the OSHA Area Director. The case then goes to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), an independent adjudicative agency. OSHRC proceedings are formal adversarial litigation — always consult an attorney experienced in OSHA defense before contesting. Many citations are informally settled before hearing, often resulting in reduced penalties or reclassification of violation type.