Introduction to OSHA
The OSH Act and 29 CFR 1926
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created OSHA and gave employers a dual obligation. Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause, requires each employer to furnish a workplace free of recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Section 5(a)(2) requires compliance with specific OSHA standards. Construction work is covered by 29 CFR Part 1926; general industry by Part 1910 - candidates routinely mix these up.
Employer duties and employee rights
Employers must provide a hazard-free workplace, comply with standards, supply required PPE at no cost, train employees, and keep records (the 300 log, plus the 300A summary posted February 1 through April 30). Report a fatality to OSHA within 8 hours and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours. Employees may request an inspection, participate in it, accompany the compliance officer, and are protected against retaliation under Section 11(c); they also have the right to access exposure and medical records.
Inspection priorities run in this order: imminent danger, fatality or catastrophe, employee complaints and referrals, programmed inspections, then follow-ups. In states with an approved state plan, the state operates the program and must be at least as effective as federal OSHA.
Rule of thumb: "8 for death, 24 for the rest" - and remember the General Duty Clause is a gap-filler, used only when no specific standard applies.
A frequent trap: a question describes a hazard clearly covered by a specific standard but asks which clause applies. The answer is the standard, not 5(a)(1).