Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".

Note: Twenty-four states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

Highlighted Standards

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances [related topic page]
  • 1910.1052, Methylene chloride
    • Appendix A, Substance safety data sheet and technical guidelines for methylene chloride
    • Appendix B, Medical surveillance for methylene chloride
    • Appendix C, Questions and answers – methylene chloride control in furniture stripping

Shipyard Employment (29 CFR 1915)

• 1915 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances
  • 1915.1052, Methylene chloride

Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926)

• 1926 Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous substances
  • 1926.1152, Methylene chloride

Preambles to Final Rules

• Methylene Chloride (1997)
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Federal Registers

• Methylene Chloride; Final Rule. Final Rules 63:50711-50732, (1998, September 22). OSHA amended its standard regulating occupational exposure to methylene chloride (29 CFR 1910.1052) by adding a provision for temporary medical removal protection benefits for employees who are removed or transferred to another job because of a medical determination that exposure to methylene chloride may aggravate or contribute to the employee's existing skin, heart, liver, or neurological disease.
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Directives

• Inspection Procedures for Occupational Exposure to Methylene Chloride Final Rule 29 CFR Part 1910.1052, 29 CFR Part 1915.1052 and 29 CFR Part 1926.1152. CPL 02-02-070 [CPL 2-2.70], (2001, December 14). Ensures uniform enforcement of the Occupational Exposure to Methylene Chloride Standard as amended in the Federal Register (September 22, 1998), by setting enforcement policy, providing inspection guidelines, and clarifying and interpreting the regulatory text.
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Standard Interpretations

• Amendments to methylene chloride standard. (1998, November 20). Discusses the changes made to the methylene chloride standard.
• Partial stay of methylene chloride standard. (1998, February 6). Discusses concerns regarding whether methylene chloride used as a solvent or bonding agent is covered by the "formulation of products" stay for the methylene chloride standard.
• Petition for modification of OSHA's methylene chloride standard. (1997, July 7). Response to a petition to modify medical surveillance requirements, which was denied.
• OSHA's methylene chloride standard. (1997, July 3). Provides information on the feasibility of implementing the standard without replacing methylene chloride with another substance.
• OSHA's methylene chloride standard. (1997, June 5). Clarifies some of the misimpressions being raised about the risks of methylene chloride exposure and the methods available to reduce those risks to the US workforce.
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