What OSHA Workplace Safety Rules Must Small Businesses Follow?

This article reviews OSHA standards for small business owners and what you must do for workplace safety. For guidance tailored to your specific business needs, consider contacting a local employment law attorney.

What Is a Workplace Hazard?

Before diving into your responsibilities, it’s important to understand what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers a hazard. OSHA is the federal agency that oversees job safety programs and inspections.

OSHA defines a workplace hazard as any source of possible harm, damage, or adverse health impact on someone or something in workplace conditions. This includes substances, conditions, or situations that could expose workers to health issues, risk property damage, or lead to injuries. The OSH Act‘s General Duty Clause requires your workplace to be free from these types of serious hazards.

Core OSHA Obligations for Small Businesses

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, all employers have core responsibilities under the OSH Act. These include:

• Inspecting workplace conditions to ensure they comply with OSHA standards
• Ensuring employees have access to equipment and safe tools, which should be appropriately maintained
• Creating and regularly updating operational procedures
• Communicating safety procedures effectively to ensure employees follow health and safety requirements (e.g., displaying the OSHA poster)
• Providing safety training to employees in languages and terms that they can understand
• Developing and implementing a written hazard communication program for workplaces involving hazardous chemicals
• Training employees on the risks associated with hazardous chemicals
• Offering training and medical examinations as mandated by OSHA
• Keeping records of work-related illnesses and injuries (employers with fewer than 10 employees are exempt from this requirement)
• Providing employees access to exposure records or medical records

While federal OSHA provides the baseline, 21 states have their own state plans that must be at least as effective and may have stricter requirements.

Employee Safety Training and PPE

Safety training should reflect your worksite‘s needs. It must be provided in a language and vocabulary employees can understand and should cover basic topics like preventing falls, handling hazardous materials, and reporting injuries.

OSHA also requires employers to provide employees with personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect them from work-related illnesses and injuries. In general, employers must cover the cost of PPE, which can include:

• Hard hats and welding helmets
• Goggles and face shields
• Safety shoes and glasses
• Gloves
• Fall protection equipment

Depending on the industry, further PPE may be necessary.

Reporting and Recordkeeping

All employers must report work-related fatalities to OSHA within eight hours. All work-related amputations, inpatient hospitalizations, and eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.

Routine recordkeeping for other workplace injuries and illnesses has a lower priority and different requirements. In general, employers with 10 or more employees must keep these records. Workplaces in low-hazard industries like retail, finance, and real estate are often exempt.

A new rule took effect in 2024 requiring employers with over 100 employees in designated high-hazard industries to submit an annual report. Check your state’s plan, as it may have its own specific recordkeeping requirements for work-related injuries.

Workplace Posters

Federal law requires all employers to display the official OSHA poster, “It’s the Law,” at their workplace. This poster informs employees of their rights under the OSH Act. You can download this poster for free from OSHA‘s website.

OSHA Inspections, Citations, and Penalties

OSHA compliance officers conduct physical site inspections for several reasons, including after a serious accident, in response to a worker complaint, or during a random inspection. After an inspection, the officer will discuss any violations.

If you disagree with the findings, you can contest OSHA citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. You must file a notice of contest within 15 working days of receiving the citation.

OSHA classifies violations based on their severity and the employer’s awareness. Penalties for violations are adjusted annually. As of 2026, the penalties are:

• Serious/Non-Serious: Up to $16,550 per violation
• Failure to Abate: Up to $16,550 per day beyond the abatement date
• Willful or Repeated: Up to $165,514 per violation

OSHA may reduce penalties for small businesses that demonstrate good-faith efforts to correct hazards. Citations must be displayed at or near the work area where the violation occurred until it is corrected.

Getting Proactive Help From OSHA

OSHA provides several programs to help small businesses comply with safety standards, often for free. These include:

• On-site consultation: You can request a free and confidential on-site consultation from your state’s OSHA office. They can help you identify and correct hazards and improve your safety programs without issuing penalties.
• Training and education: You can get training and resources by contacting the compliance assistance specialist at your nearest OSHA Area Office. Training is also available at the OSHA Training Institute and its education centers at colleges nationwide.
• Strategic partnerships: The OSHA Strategic Partnership Program (OSPP) allows businesses to work cooperatively with the agency to improve workplace safety and health through training and education. This can help improve your site’s safety.

Information on these options is available on the OSHA website.

Need Help With OSHA Requirements? Talk to a Local Attorney

Understanding federal and state OSHA regulations can be complicated. If you have concerns about workplace safety, have received an OSHA citation, or want to ensure your business is compliant, an experienced employment law attorney can provide legal advice tailored to your specific needs and industry.