Letters of Interpretation | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Letters of Interpretation

OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards, and regulations. Our interpretation letters explain these requirements and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they cannot create additional employer obligations. Each letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed.

Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information.

These letters of interpretation and the standards they address may not apply to OSHA State Plans. State Plans are required to have standards and enforcement programs that are at least as effective as OSHA's and may have different or additional requirements. Please see OSHA-approved State Plans for more information.

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How to Request a Letter of Interpretation

Date	Title	Standard Number
03/24/1995	Acceptable use of reinforcing steel bent to a horizontal position to eliminate impalement hazards.	1926.701(b)
03/23/1995	FIRM Change: Minimum Serious Willful Penalty.
03/23/1995	OSHA Tuberculosis (TB) regulations.	1910.1001, 1915.1001, 1926.1101
03/23/1995	Safety plans as set forth in Subpart M -- Fall Protection for the Construction Industry.	1926.502(k), 1926 Subpart M App E
03/22/1995	Adequacy of OSHA regulations addressing fall protection equipment used in construction.
03/22/1995	Request for a list of all OSHA-regulated air contaminants.	1910.1000, 1910.1000 TABLE Z-1, 1910.1000 TABLE Z-2, 1910.1000 TABLE Z-3
03/22/1995	Clarify issues related to the joint venture study and its use as objective data under the Formaldehyde Standard	1910.1048
03/22/1995	Asbestos in the car repair industry.	1910.1001
03/22/1995	Sampling for lead welding fumes.	1910.252(c), 1926.353
03/22/1995	Coverage under the Process Safety Management Standard.	1910.119
03/22/1995	Maintaining a safe working perimeter outside a crane's swing radius.	1926.550
03/22/1995	Suprotek PC100 protective rebar cover.	1926.701
03/21/1995	"Compliance Audits" of the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals Standard.	1910.119
03/16/1995	OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping issues.
03/16/1995	Recording of Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) cases.
03/16/1995	Recording procedures for cases involving occupational hearing loss.
03/15/1995	Clarification of the application of the Vinyl Chloride Standard and the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard.	1910.1017, 1910.120
03/15/1995	Hazard Communication Standard requirements for labeling fire extinguishers.	1910.1200, 1910.1201
03/15/1995	Regulations pertaining to respirator use.	1910.1020
03/15/1995	Compliance from OSHA for an inflatable fall arrest device.	1926.502