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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Date Title Standard Number
Current OSHA initiatives to improve quality of chemical hazard information provided to workers. 1910.1200, 1910.1200(g)
Requirements for perimeter columns and perimeter safety cables in the Steel Erection standard. 1926.756(e)(1), 1926.756(e), 1926.760(a)(2)
Installation and use of electrical equipment must be consistent with NRTL intructions for that equipment. 1910.303(b)(2), 1910.399
Use of portable vacuum cleaners for cleaning up aluminum and wood dust. 1910.399, 1910.307, 1910.307(b)(2)
Maximum permissible guard openings for blade guards on cooling fans 1910.212, 1910.212(a)(5), 1910.217
Questions and answers about color coding machine and machine guards according to ANSI Z535.1-1990 1910.144, 1910.144(a)(3), 1910.219, 1910.219(p)(1), 1910.219(p)(2), 1910.219(p)(3), 1910.219(p)(4), 1910.219(p)(5), 1910.219(p)(6), 1910.219(p)(7)
Recapping of contaminated needles used in body piercing. 1910.1030, 1910.1030(d)(2)(i), 1910.1030(d)(2)(vii), 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(A)(1)
Retesting requirements if employee's annual audiogram shows a Standard Threshold Shift (STS). 1910.95, 1910.95(g)(7)(ii)
Firefighter training requirements to respond to emergency releases, or potential emergency releases, of hazardous substance. 1910.120, 1910.120(q)(6)(ii)
Regulations related to liquid asphalt and to marine barge slips. 1910.106, 1910.106(a)(18)(ii)(b)
Relevance of NFPA 70E industry consensus standard to OSHA requirements; whether OSHA requirements apply to owners. 1926.402(a), 1910.132, 1910.335, 1926.403, 1926.404, 1926.405, 1926.406, 1926.407, 1926.408, 1910.303(f), 1926.403(h), 1910.12
Powered Industrial Truck (forklift) operator trainer qualifications. 1910.178, 1910.178(l)(2)(iii)
Clarification of Recordkeeping's work-related exception. 1904 - Table of Contents, 1904.5(b)(2)
Permissibility of using guardrail systems other than perimeter safety cables in steel erection. 1926.760(a)(1), 1926.760(a)(2), 1926.760(a)(3)
Acceptability of rhodizonate-based spot test kits for determining the presence or absence of lead in paint coatings. 1910.1025, 1926.62
OSHA policy on using wipe sampling for 4,4' methylenedianiline (MDA) as the basis for enforcement action. 1910.1050, 1910.1050(b), 1910.1050(f)(1)(ii), 1910.1050(l)(1), 1910.1050(l)(2), 1910.1050(l)(3)
Fall protection requirements during installation and removal or tarps and sheeting on/from scaffolds; qualifications of person determining safety on scaffold with wind imposed forces. 1926.451(g)(2), 1926.451(f)(12), 1926.451(g)(1), 1926.451(a)(6), 1926.451(f)(3), 1926.450
Workplace use of electrical equipment designated as "Household Use Only" and recordkeeping requirements. 1910.303(a), 1910.303(b)(2), 1910.7, 1910.303(b), 1910.304(f)(5)(v)(C)(5)
Motor-control-circuit switches and relays are prohibited from being used as energy isolating devices. 1910.147, 1910.147(c)(1), 1910.147(a)(2)(ii)
Clarification of 1926.502(d)(6) term "designed for" in snaphook connections. 1926.502, 1926.502(d), 1926.502(d)(6)