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Safety and Health Topics

OSHA's Safety and Health Topics webpages provide information on specific safety and health hazards, as well as specific hazard information on different industries. These pages provide information on hazard identification and control, as well as existing OSHA standards where applicable. This information can be helpful to employers in complying with OSHA standards.

To find a specific Safety and Health Topics webpage, search the Safety and Health Topics Pages Alphabetical Listing. If you cannot find what you are looking for, you may also search the main OSHA A-Z Index. Are you interested in web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics? Try OSHA's eTools, eMatrix, Expert Advisors and v-Tools! For other training material, visit OSHA's Training webpage. If you are an employer or a small business, visit OSHA's webpages for employers and free services to small businesses. For other General Safety and Health Information, visit the General Safety and Health References page.

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the Alphabetical Listing of
Safety and Health Topics Pages

Hot Topics > Previous Hot Topics

Winter Weather

Winter Weather

Winter weather creates a variety of hazards that can significantly impact everyday tasks and work activities. These hazards include slippery roads/surfaces, strong winds and environmental cold. Learning how to prepare for work during the winter, protect workers from the cold and other hazards that can cause illnesses, injuries, or fatalities, is essential to maintaining a safe work environment and completing tasks successfully.

Updates to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

Updates to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

"OSHA will now receive crucial reports of fatalities and severe work-related injuries and illnesses that will significantly enhance the agency’s ability to target our resources to save lives and prevent further injury and illness. This new data will enable the agency to identify the workplaces where workers are at the greatest risk and target our compliance assistance and enforcement resources accordingly."

— Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Dr. David Michaels

Worker Safety in Hospitals

Hospital Safety

Did you know that a hospital is one of the most hazardous places to work? In 2011, U.S. hospitals recorded 253,700 work-related injuries and illnesses, a rate of 6.8 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees. This is almost twice the rate for private industry as a whole. OSHA created a suite of resources to help hospitals assess workplace safety needs, implement safety and health management systems, and enhance their safe patient handling programs.

Protecting Temporary Workers

Protecting Temporary Workers

"Host employers need to treat temporary workers as they treat existing employees. Temporary staffing agencies and host employers share control over the employee, and are therefore jointly responsible for temp employee's safety and health. It is essential that both employers comply with all relevant OSHA requirements."

— David Michaels, PhD, MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals: A Toolkit for Employers and Workers

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals

American workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. Establishing a chemical management system that goes beyond simply complying with OSHA standards and strives to reduce or eliminate chemical hazards at the source through informed substitution best protects workers. Transitioning to safer alternatives can be a complex undertaking, but a variety of existing resources make it easier. OSHA has developed this step-by-step toolkit to provide employers and workers with information, methods, tools, and guidance on using informed substitution in the workplace.

National Safety Stand-Down

National Safety Stand-Down

The purpose of the National Fall Prevention Stand-Down is to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction. Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers, accounting for 269 of the 775 construction fatalities recorded in 2012. Those deaths were preventable. Fall prevention safety standards were among the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards, during fiscal year 2012.

Communication Towers

Communication Towers

In 2013, OSHA recorded a total number of 13 communication tower-related fatalities. In the beginning weeks of 2014, there have already been four fatalities at communication tower worksites. This represents a significant increase in fatalities and injuries from previous years, and OSHA is concerned at this trend. OSHA is working with industry stakeholders to identify the causes of these injuries and fatalities, and to reduce the risks faced by employees in the communication tower industry.

Occupational Noise Exposure

Occupational Noise Exposure

Every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Thousands of workers every year suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels.

Winter Weather

Winter Weather

Winter weather creates a variety of hazards that can significantly impact everyday tasks and work activities. These hazards include slippery roads/surfaces, strong winds and environmental cold. Learning how to prepare for work during the winter, protect workers from the cold and other hazards that can cause illnesses, injuries, or fatalities, is essential to maintaining a safe work environment and completing tasks successfully.

Updates to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

Updates to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

"OSHA will now receive crucial reports of fatalities and severe work-related injuries and illnesses that will significantly enhance the agency’s ability to target our resources to save lives and prevent further injury and illness. This new data will enable the agency to identify the workplaces where workers are at the greatest risk and target our compliance assistance and enforcement resources accordingly."

— Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Dr. David Michaels

National Safety Stand-Down

National Safety Stand-Down

The purpose of the National Fall Prevention Stand-Down is to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction. Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers, accounting for 269 of the 775 construction fatalities recorded in 2012. Those deaths were preventable. Fall prevention safety standards were among the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards, during fiscal year 2012.

Worker Safety in Hospitals

Hospital Safety

Did you know that a hospital is one of the most hazardous places to work? In 2011, U.S. hospitals recorded 253,700 work-related injuries and illnesses, a rate of 6.8 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees. This is almost twice the rate for private industry as a whole. OSHA created a suite of resources to help hospitals assess workplace safety needs, implement safety and health management systems, and enhance their safe patient handling programs.

Protecting Temporary Workers

Protecting Temporary Workers

"Host employers need to treat temporary workers as they treat existing employees. Temporary staffing agencies and host employers share control over the employee, and are therefore jointly responsible for temp employee's safety and health. It is essential that both employers comply with all relevant OSHA requirements."

— David Michaels, PhD, MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health

Communication Towers

Communication Towers

In 2013, OSHA recorded a total number of 13 communication tower-related fatalities. In the beginning weeks of 2014, there have already been four fatalities at communication tower worksites. This represents a significant increase in fatalities and injuries from previous years, and OSHA is concerned at this trend. OSHA is working with industry stakeholders to identify the causes of these injuries and fatalities, and to reduce the risks faced by employees in the communication tower industry.

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals: A Toolkit for Employers and Workers

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals

American workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. Establishing a chemical management system that goes beyond simply complying with OSHA standards and strives to reduce or eliminate chemical hazards at the source through informed substitution best protects workers. Transitioning to safer alternatives can be a complex undertaking, but a variety of existing resources make it easier. OSHA has developed this step-by-step toolkit to provide employers and workers with information, methods, tools, and guidance on using informed substitution in the workplace.

Occupational Noise Exposure

Occupational Noise Exposure

Every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Thousands of workers every year suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels.

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