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
08/13/2018	Hearing Conservation Program	1910.95(c)
08/09/2018	Clarification on the use of a cold therapy only setting on a therapeutic device is first-aid	1904 - Table of Contents, 1904.7(b)(5)(ii)
07/30/2018	CPDA's request to extend the deadline for distributors to label non-pesticide agricultural chemical products in accordance with the HCS 2012	1910.1200(j)(2), 1910.1200(j)(2)(i)
07/30/2018	EPA Risk Pesticides Subject to HCS Labeling	1910.1200, 1910.1200(b)(5)(i), 1910.1200(b)(5)(v), 1910.1200(g)
07/30/2018	Who can perform a pulmonary function test (PFT) in compliance with the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards?	1910.1053(i)(2)(iv), 1926.1153(h)(2)(iv)
07/27/2018	Compliance with the access provisions when using a software application containing the records	1904 - Table of Contents, 1904.29(b)(6), 1904.35, 1904.40
07/24/2018	Hazard Communication Standard – SDS Physical and Chemical Properties	1910.1200
07/16/2018	Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Record and the OSHA’s Federal Labor Laws Poster	1910.1020(g)(1), 1910.1020(c)(5), 1910.1020(c)(6), 1903.2
06/25/2018	Interim Enforcement Guidance for the Respirable Crystalline Silica in General Industry/Maritime standard, 29 CFR 1910.1053 – June 23, 2018, Enforcement Date	1910.1053, 1926.1153, 1926.1153(d)(2)(v)
06/21/2018	Notice of Delay in Enforcement for Certain Provisions of the Beryllium Standards to August 9, 2018
06/20/2018	Exit route stairways that comply with the codes of the NFPA and the IFC	1910.6, 1910.34 - Index, 1910.35 - Index, 1910.36(g), 1910.37 - Index
06/14/2018	Extension of the National Emphasis Program on Amputations (NEP) until September 30, 2019	1910 Subpart J - Index, 1910 Subpart O - Index, 1910 Subpart P - Index
06/12/2018	HCS pictogram labeling of DOT-39 Non-Refillable Cylinders	1910.1200, 1910.1200(f)(1)
06/07/2018	Enforcement Launch for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard in General Industry and Maritime, 29 CFR § 1910.1053
06/04/2018	Flammable Liquid Processing Letter	1910.106, 1910.119
05/09/2018	Interim Enforcement Memorandum and Notice of Delay in Enforcement for Certain Provisions of the Beryllium Standards	1910.1024, 1926.1124, 1915.1024
04/30/2018	Memorandum to Regional Administrators – Process Safety Management Retail Exemption Enforcement Policy	1910.119
04/26/2018	Voluntary use respirators	1910.134, 1910.134(c)(2), 1910.134(c)(4), 1910.134(f), 1910.134(e)
04/24/2018	Filtering facepiece respirators and medical evaluations	1910.134(b), 1910.134(c)(2), 1910.134 App D
04/16/2018	Regarding guardrail systems and fall protection requirements to scaffold systems, including form scaffolds.	1926.451(g)(4)(i)