This guide is intended to help small businesses comply with OSHA's standard for Cranes and Derricks in Construction. It is designed to address the most common compliance issues that employers will face and to provide sufficient detail to serve as a useful compliance guide. Employers who use cranes and derricks in construction work must comply with the standard. In addition, other employers on construction sites where cranes and derricks are used are responsible for violations that expose their employees to hazards and, therefore, need to know the requirements of the standard that may affect...

This publication describes best practices for the safe use of glutaraldehyde in health care facilities. Glutaraldehyde is used widely as a cold sterilant to disinfect a variety of heat-sensitive instruments, such as endoscopes, bronchoscopes, and dialysis equipment. In addition, health care employees may be exposed to glutaraldehyde in its uses as a hardener in x-ray developing and as a tissue fixative in histology and pathology labs. Glutaraldehyde's properties as a chemical sterilant were initially recognized in the early 1960s as the health care industry searched for a safer alternative to...

This publication contains important information regarding employer rights and responsibilities following a Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), as amended. Under the OSH Act, employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace. An OSHA compliance safety and health officer (CSHO) conducts an inspection of your workplace, in accordance with the OSH Act. After the inspection, the CSHO reports the findings to the OSHA area director who evaluates them. If a violation exists, OSHA will issue...

This booklet is designed to present to employees and employers a summary of the basic safety procedures and safeguards associated with hand and portable power tools. Material in this booklet is based on the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; this booklet, however, should not be considered as a substitute for the full safety and health standards for general industry or for the construction industry. Employers and employees in the 26 states and territories with OSHA-approved state safety and health plans should check with their state agency. Their state may be...

This publication presents guidance on preventing injuries and illnesses from workplace hazards on deck barges. Approximately 4,000 deck barges operate in the United States, using different types of winches and other equipment in a variety of operations. Employees on these vessels can face serious hazards. Between 1997 and 2006, 305 employees were killed on barge/tow combinations, and 379 explosions or fires occurred on barges or towboats, killing 14 employees. Some examples of these incidents are: 1) An employee was setting a steel pile upright in the water. The steel pile was being held...

This publication is intended to supplement OSHA's Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Hexavalent Chromium Standards published in 2006 and to give readers an overview of the provisions and requirements of the Hexavalent Chromium standards for general industry (29 CFR 1910.1026), shipyards (29 CFR 1915.1026), and construction (29 CFR 1926.1126). Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a toxic form of the element chromium. Hexavalent chromium is rarely found in nature and is generally man-made. Cr(VI) is widely used in pigments, metal finishing (electroplating), wood preservatives and fungicides, and...

The dumping of hazardous substances poses a significant threat to the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data show that over 18 million tons of hazardous substances covered by TRI were disposed of or released into the environment from 1998 through 2004.1 Hazardous substances are a serious safety and health problem that continues to endanger human and animal life and environmental quality. Discarded hazardous substances that are toxic, flammable, or corrosive can cause fires, explosions, and pollution of air, water, and land. Unless...

This booklet is for employers, foremen, and supervisors, but we encourage employees to use the information as well to analyze their own jobs and recognize workplace hazards so they can report them to you. It explains what a job hazard analysis is and offers guidelines to help you conduct your own step-by-step analysis. A hazard is the potential for harm. In practical terms, a hazard often is associated with a condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness. Identifying hazards and eliminating or controlling them as early as possible will help prevent...

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major concern to businesses, schools, building managers, tenants, and workers because it can impact the health, comfort, well-being, and productivity of the building occupants. OSHA recognizes that poor IAQ can be hazardous to workers' health and that it is in the best interest of everyone that building owners, managers, and employers take a proactive approach to address IAQ concerns. This OSHA guidance publication on IAQ provides practical recommendations that will help prevent or minimize IAQ problems in commercial and institutional buildings, and help resolve...

This booklet contains all the safety and health standards concerning the marine terminal and longshoring industries, as contained in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1917 and 1918, as of June 30, 2000. Also, included are brief discussions about: 1. The importance of training in establishing and reinforcing employee awareness of job safety and health; 2. The elements of a safety and health program that can be used by employers to develop effective programs at their work sites; 3. OSHA's onsite consultation program that is available to employers. Hazards not covered by Marine...