US compliance guides
Practical, US-specific guidance, OSHA, the written safety program, the 300 log, Job Hazard Analysis, ISNetworld and Avetta, and the paperwork that keeps you inspection- and client-ready.
OSHA Process Safety Management: 29 CFR 1910.119 Overview
Understand which highly hazardous chemical processes OSHA's PSM standard covers and how its main program elements fit together.
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program: 1910.95 Explained
Learn when the 85 dBA action level triggers a general-industry hearing conservation program and how monitoring, audiometry, training and protection fit together.
OSHA Ergonomics and MSD Prevention: What Employers Should Know
Learn how federal OSHA addresses serious ergonomic hazards under the General Duty Clause, and how employers can identify and control MSD risk factors.
OSHA Electrical Safety Requirements for General Industry
Understand OSHA 1910 Subpart S electrical safety, deenergizing, qualified workers, equipment condition and how State Plans may add requirements.
OSHA PPE Hazard Assessment Requirements | 1910.132
See how OSHA 1910.132(d) separates workplace hazard assessment, PPE selection, employee communication, and the written certification of assessment.
OSHA Emergency Action Plan: Definition and Required Elements
Learn when OSHA requires an emergency action plan, what 29 CFR 1910.38 says it must contain, and how the written-plan rule works for small employers.
Excavation Inspection After Rain: OSHA Re-Entry Decision
Understand when OSHA requires a competent-person excavation inspection after rain, what findings require employee removal and how to document correction before work resumes.
OSHA Ladder and Stairway Training Under 29 CFR 1926.1060
Who needs construction ladder and stairway training, what a competent person must cover under OSHA Subpart X, and when retraining is necessary.
OSHA Fall Protection Training Records and Retraining for Construction
Learn who needs construction fall-protection training, what OSHA's written certification must contain, and which changes trigger retraining under 29 CFR 1926.503.
OSHA Scaffold Training: Users, Erectors and Inspectors
See how OSHA's construction scaffold training rule differs for scaffold users and people who erect or inspect scaffolds, when retraining is required, and what records the federal rule requires.
Scaffold Inspection After a Storm: US Return-to-Use Decision
Learn how OSHA's scaffold inspection, storm-work and repair rules shape the decision to return a construction scaffold to use after high wind or severe weather.
OSHA Scaffold Before-Shift Inspection and Record Requirements
Learn when an in-use construction scaffold needs a competent-person check before a work shift, when an unused scaffold returns to inspection, and whether OSHA requires a written log.
Welding Fire Watch: OSHA Triggers and 30-Minute Minimum
Understand when federal OSHA requires a fire watch for welding or cutting, what watchers must do and why the post-work watch lasts at least half an hour.
Respirator Fit Test After a Change: When to Retest
Understand OSHA's initial, annual and change-triggered fit-test rules for tight-fitting respirators, plus seal checks and fit-test records.
Permit-Space Rescue Service Evaluation Under OSHA 1910.146
How a US general-industry employer evaluates a permit-space rescue service for response time, space hazards, equipment, practice access and availability.
When OSHA Noise Monitoring Must Start or Be Repeated
A US general-industry guide to OSHA's 85 dBA monitoring trigger, repeat measurements after workplace changes, employee notice and exposure records.
OSHA Emergency Eyewash: When Corrosive Exposure Triggers It
Understand the actual OSHA 1910.151, paragraph c trigger for emergency eyewash or drenching, how exposure matters and why a generic distance rule cannot settle a site assessment.
OSHA Baseline vs Annual Audiogram: Employer Guide
Learn when OSHA calls for a baseline audiogram, how annual testing differs, and what employers must arrange when results need qualified review.
New or Altered Overhead Crane: OSHA Initial Inspection and Tests
Understand OSHA 1910.179 initial inspection, operational tests, rated load testing and records before a new or altered overhead crane enters service.
Annual Lockout/Tagout Procedure Inspection: Who and What
A practical federal OSHA guide to inspecting energy-control procedures annually, choosing the inspector, reviewing worker duties and certifying the inspection.
Idle Overhead Crane Return to Service: OSHA Inspection Steps
See which OSHA inspections apply before an idle overhead crane returns to general-industry service, including rope checks, standby cranes and defect closeout.
Forklift Refresher Training vs Three-Year Evaluation
Understand the OSHA events that trigger powered industrial truck refresher training and the separate requirement to evaluate operator performance at least every three years.
Forklift Pre-Use Check Finds a Defect: What Happens Next?
A practical US employer workflow for forklift inspection defects, immediate reporting, removal from service, authorised repair and safe return to use under OSHA 1910.178.
Forklift Modifications: Written Approval and Capacity Plates
A US manager guide to OSHA forklift modification approval, nonfactory front-end attachments, updated capacity markings and legible nameplates.
OSHA Forklift Battery Charging Areas: Which Controls Apply?
Understand OSHA 1910.178 battery-charging area requirements, the charging-only interpretation and the extra questions raised by battery changing or electrolyte work.
Fire Extinguisher Monthly Inspection vs Annual Maintenance
Understand the different OSHA monthly visual inspection and annual maintenance duties for workplace portable fire extinguishers, including records and service gaps.
When to Review an Emergency Action Plan With Employees
A federal OSHA guide to reviewing an emergency action plan when evacuation routes, employee duties or the plan itself change.
Damaged Ladder at Work: OSHA Shift Inspection and Removal
Learn when OSHA general-industry rules require a ladder inspection, how to tag and remove a defective ladder, and what must happen before it returns to use.
Damaged Extension Cord: OSHA Inspection and Removal Rules
Understand OSHA's before-use visual inspection of portable electrical equipment, the limited fixed-placement exception and when a damaged cord must leave service.
Canceled Confined Space Permits: Retention and Program Review
How federal OSHA general-industry employers cancel and retain confined-space entry permits, note problems and use the records in program review.
Abrasive Wheel Replacement: OSHA Ring Test and Speed Checks
Learn the federal OSHA checks before mounting an abrasive wheel, including close inspection, ring test, wheel speed, guards and the limits of a generic checklist.
Temporary Worker Injury: Host or Staffing Agency OSHA 300 Log?
Decide which employer records a temporary worker's injury on an OSHA 300 Log using actual day-to-day supervision, then coordinate a single accurate entry.
OSHA 300 Privacy Concern Cases: the Log and Confidential List
A practical federal OSHA guide to the six privacy concern categories, the separate case-number list, Log wording, access requests and retention.
OSHA 300 Logs for Multiple Establishments and Short-Term Jobsites
Learn which OSHA 300 Log receives a case when employees work across permanent sites, short-term jobsites, client locations and offsite assignments.
How to Correct an OSHA 300 Log Entry After New Information
Learn when an OSHA 300 Log entry needs updating, how later case facts affect the Log, and what changes are optional for Form 300A, Form 301 and ITA data.
CMV Warning Triangle Placement: Road-Specific US Rules
Understand when US commercial drivers place roadside warning devices, the ten-minute rule, and the different patterns for curves, divided roads and other stops.
DVIR Defect Before Dispatch: Repair, Certification and Driver Review
A practical guide for US motor carriers deciding what to do after a driver vehicle inspection report lists a defect before the vehicle operates again.
Driver Previous-Employer Safety History: FMCSA Hiring Inquiry
A practical guide to requesting a commercial driver applicant's previous-employer safety history, recording good-faith efforts and protecting the driver investigation history file.
CMV Emergency Equipment Before Dispatch: Current US Rules
Check the current US federal rules for truck and bus extinguishers, warning devices and driver readiness, including the 2026 changes to spare fuses and flares.
Cargo Securement Checks: First 50 Miles and Later Rechecks
A US carrier guide to the cargo and securement inspections required after departure, the duty-status and distance triggers, and the sealed-load exception.
Annual MVR Review: What Belongs in a Driver Qualification File
Learn the federal annual MVR inquiry and review steps for covered motor carriers, the review note required in a driver qualification file and how to handle a concerning record.
Annual CMV Inspection Evidence: Report, Sticker and 14-Month File
A US carrier guide to the FMCSA periodic vehicle inspection, 12-month coverage, proof kept on the vehicle, report contents and 14-month record retention.
Construction Fall Arrest Rescue: OSHA Response Guide
After a worker is caught by a fall arrest system, act on prompt rescue, medical assessment, scene control and equipment removal. Know what OSHA does and does not specify.
Group Lockout at Shift Change: OSHA Handover Guide
Plan a group lockout handover that keeps each worker protected. Check incoming devices, exposure status, coordinator responsibility and restart control.
Missing Chemical Container Label: OSHA HazCom Steps
Find an unlabeled chemical container? Control use, identify the contents, check OSHA's workplace label rules, fix the information and record the decision.
OSHA 300A Electronic Submission: Coverage and ITA Steps
Check whether your establishment must submit OSHA 300A, or also 300 and 301 data. Work through headcount, industry lists, deadline and ITA evidence.
OSHA First Aid vs Medical Treatment: Recordability Guide
Use OSHA's current first-aid list to assess wound closure, medication, supports, therapy and other treatment. See when first aid can still be recordable.
An OSHA inspection: what to expect and how to prepare
An OSHA compliance officer can arrive unannounced. Here's how an inspection actually unfolds, the opening conference, the walkaround, records requests and the closing conference, your rights, and how to be ready before one ever happens.
HazCom and Safety Data Sheets (SDS): OSHA's chemical safety rules explained
If your workers handle chemicals, OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard applies, a written program, labeled containers, a Safety Data Sheet for every product, and trained employees. Here's what HazCom requires and how the 16-section SDS works.
Compliance Software for US Businesses: What It Is and How to Choose (2026)
A plain-English guide to compliance software for US businesses: what it is, why spreadsheets let you down, the features that matter, how it differs by industry (OSHA, CMS, fair housing), what it costs, and how to choose the right system.
OSHA fall protection: the 6-foot rule and what it actually requires
Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, and fall protection is OSHA's most-cited standard. Here's when fall protection is required, 6 feet in construction, 4 feet in general industry, and the options for protecting workers at height.
Compliance Software for Construction in the US (2026): The Practical Guide
How compliance software helps US contractors stay on top of OSHA 10/30 cards, certifications, COIs, written safety programs, JHAs, the 300 log and subcontractor onboarding, win bids, pass OSHA scrutiny and keep your prequalification scores clean.
Reporting to OSHA: the 8-hour and 24-hour rules for severe injuries
Separate from your 300 log, OSHA requires you to phone in the most serious events fast: a fatality within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours. Here's exactly what to report and how.
Compliance Software for US Property Managers and Landlords (2026)
How property compliance software keeps a US rental portfolio compliant across jurisdictions: fair housing, lead-based paint, habitability, security deposits, local registration and inspections, and vendor credentials, every date watched, every record ready.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): controlling hazardous energy, explained
When machines are serviced, unexpected startup or stored energy can kill. OSHA's Lockout/Tagout standard requires a written energy-control program, procedures, devices and training. Here's how LOTO works and what compliance requires.
Compliance Software for Senior Care and Nursing Homes in the US (2026)
How care compliance software keeps a US skilled nursing facility survey-ready every day, staff licensure and background checks, training, infection control, medication and an evidence package mapped to the CMS Requirements of Participation and state surveys.
The hierarchy of controls: how OSHA expects you to control a hazard
Not all hazard controls are equal. The hierarchy of controls ranks them from most to least effective, elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and PPE last. Here's how to apply it, and why PPE-first thinking fails.
Compliance Software vs Spreadsheets in the US: The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong (2026)
Why spreadsheets quietly fail at compliance for US businesses, no reminders, key-person risk, no audit trail, what a lapse actually costs with OSHA, CMS or fair housing, and how to move to compliance software without a painful migration.
OSHA and workers' comp in Florida: what employers must know
Florida is under federal OSHA, not a State Plan, but its workers' comp rules are strict, especially in construction, where a single employee triggers mandatory coverage. Here's what Florida employers need to know.
Washington WISHA and the Accident Prevention Program (APP)
Washington runs its own OSHA (DOSH, under L&I) and requires nearly every employer to have a written Accident Prevention Program. It's also a monopolistic workers' comp state. Here's what that means for employers.
OSHA in Illinois: federal for private, state for public employers
Illinois is a split-jurisdiction state: private employers are under federal OSHA, while public (state and local government) employees are covered by an Illinois State Plan. Here's what that means, plus the state's workers' comp rules.
OSHA State Plans: does your state run its own OSHA? (2026)
29 states and territories run their own OSHA-approved safety programs, some tougher than federal OSHA. Here's how State Plans work, which states have one, and why it changes what compliance looks like where you operate.
The California IIPP: the safety program Cal/OSHA requires (2026)
California is one of the few states that legally requires nearly every employer to have a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Here are the eight required elements of a Title 8 §3203 IIPP, who needs one, and how to keep it compliant.
NYC Local Law 196 and the SST card: what contractors need in 2026
On covered NYC construction sites, workers need a 40-hour SST card and supervisors a 62-hour one, carried on site and checked at entry. Here's who's covered, the hours required, and how the SST card works.
OSHA and workers' comp in Texas: what employers must know
Texas is under federal OSHA, not a State Plan, and it's the one state where workers' compensation is optional for private employers. Here's what that means for Texas businesses, and why going without cover is riskier than it sounds.
OSHA fines in 2026: what a violation actually costs
OSHA's 2026 maximum penalties are $16,550 for a serious violation and $165,514 for a willful or repeat one. Here is the full penalty table, how OSHA calculates a fine, and the proven ways to reduce one.
OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30: which card do you need?
OSHA 10 is entry-level safety awareness for workers; OSHA 30 is the deeper course for supervisors and anyone with safety responsibility. Here's the real difference, who needs which, whether they expire, and where they're legally required.
The best SafetyCulture alternatives for US contractors (2026)
SafetyCulture is a strong inspection app, but per-seat pricing and a focus on audits don't suit every contractor. Here's an honest look at the leading alternatives, Safesite, SiteDocs, Raken and Complys, and who each is really for.
EMR explained: what a good experience modification rate is, and how to lower yours
Your EMR is the multiplier on your workers' comp premium, and increasingly the number that decides whether you can bid at all. Here's what it means, what a good EMR is, how it's calculated, and the proven ways to bring it down.
Complys vs SafetyCulture: an honest comparison for US contractors (2026)
SafetyCulture is a per-seat inspection platform; Complys is a flat-priced compliance-readiness and win-work platform. Here is an honest, side-by-side comparison of pricing, features and who each one is really for.
The written safety program: what every US employer needs (2026 guide)
A written safety and health program is the document OSHA, general contractors and prequalification networks ask for first. Here is what it is, the law behind it, exactly what it should contain, and how to keep it from going stale in a binder.
The OSHA 300 log and 300A summary, explained (2026)
Most employers with more than 10 workers must keep an OSHA 300 log of recordable injuries and illnesses and post a 300A summary every February. Here is who is covered, what counts as recordable, and how the 300, 300A and 301 fit together.
How to do a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA/JSA): a practical guide
A Job Hazard Analysis breaks a task into steps, finds the hazard in each, and records the control. Here is OSHA's method (OSHA 3071), how to pick which jobs to analyze first, and how to write JHAs your crew will actually use.
Getting prequalified: ISNetworld, Avetta and winning US work
More and more US owners and GCs won't hire a contractor until they're prequalified on ISNetworld or Avetta. Here's what these networks check, how safety metrics like EMR and TRIR drive your grade, and how to get and stay compliant.
OSHA's respirable crystalline silica standard for construction, explained
Cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, stone or masonry exposes workers to silica dust. What OSHA's construction silica standard (29 CFR 1926.1153) requires and how Table 1 makes compliance simpler.
Heat illness prevention: what OSHA expects of employers
Heat is a serious and growing workplace hazard. What OSHA's General Duty Clause and its heat initiative require now, how state rules go further, and what a heat plan should contain.
Confined spaces in construction: OSHA Subpart AA, explained
Manholes, tanks, crawl spaces and pits can be permit-required confined spaces. What OSHA's construction confined space standard (Subpart AA) requires before anyone goes in.
Scaffolding safety: OSHA Subpart L essentials
Scaffolds are involved in a large share of construction injuries. The OSHA Subpart L basics every crew should know, competent person, capacity, fall protection and inspection.
Who pays for PPE? OSHA's employer-payment rule
With few exceptions, OSHA requires employers to pay for the personal protective equipment their workers need. What's covered, what isn't, and the common mistakes.