Introduction to OSHA

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Explain the historical context and legislative purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: the workplace conditions that made the law necessary, its passage, and the creation of OSHA (enforcement), NIOSH (research), and OSHRC (adjudication).
• Describe OSHA’s organisational structure: the national office, regional offices, and area offices, and how this structure determines which OSHA office has jurisdiction over a specific workplace.
• Distinguish between federal OSHA states and state-plan states: which states operate their own occupational safety and health programmes, the requirement that state plans must be “at least as effective” as federal OSHA, and how state-plan states may adopt additional or more stringent standards.
• Explain how OSHA standards are developed: the rulemaking process (advance notice, proposed rule, public comment, final rule), the role of NIOSH in research and recommendations, the significance of consensus standards (ANSI, NFPA), and how standards are codified in the Code of Federal Regulations.
• Navigate the structure of OSHA standards: 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry) and 29 CFR 1926 (Construction) organised by Subpart, and how to locate specific regulatory requirements using the CFR numbering system.
• Apply the General Duty Clause: Section 5(a)(1) requirements (recognised hazard, likely to cause death or serious physical harm, feasible means of abatement), when OSHA uses the General Duty Clause instead of a specific standard, and the higher burden of proof associated with General Duty Clause citations.
• Explain the OSHA inspection process: inspection triggers (programmed, complaint, referral, follow-up, imminent danger, fatality/catastrophe), opening conference, walkaround inspection, employee interviews, closing conference, and employer rights throughout the process.
• Classify citation types and understand penalty calculations: other-than-serious, serious, willful, repeat, and failure-to-abate violations; base penalties; gravity-based adjustments; employer size, good-faith, and history reductions; and the current maximum penalty framework.
• Navigate post-citation options: the 15-working-day contest period, informal conference procedures, formal contest before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), abatement requirements, and petitions for modification of abatement.
• Access OSHA resources: the OSHA website, standards, letters of interpretation, publications, the OSHA consultation programme, OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, and the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP).

Core Curriculum Topics

• History of the OSH Act of 1970: workplace conditions, legislative development, and creation of OSHA, NIOSH, and OSHRC
• OSHA Organisational Structure: national office, regional offices, area offices, and jurisdictional authority
• Federal OSHA vs State-Plan States: approved state occupational safety and health programmes and effectiveness requirements
• Standards Development Process: rulemaking procedures, public participation, consensus standards, and CFR codification
• Navigating 29 CFR 1910 and 1926: Subpart organisation, numbering systems, and locating regulatory requirements
• The General Duty Clause: Section 5(a)(1) requirements, application criteria, and burden of proof
• OSHA Inspection Process: inspection triggers, opening conference, walkaround inspection, employee interviews, and closing conference
• Citation Types: other-than-serious, serious, willful, repeat, and failure-to-abate violations
• Penalty Calculations: base penalties, gravity assessments, adjustment factors, and current maximum penalty structure
• Post-Citation Options: informal conferences, formal contests, OSHRC proceedings, abatement requirements, and petitions for modification of abatement
• OSHA Consultation Programme: confidential compliance assistance for qualifying employers, independent from enforcement activities
• OSHA Resources: standards, letters of interpretation, publications, OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, and Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

• No prior OSHA or safety knowledge required
• Zero prerequisites — the true starting point
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; basic proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• New safety professionals entering the field who need to understand the regulatory system they will work within
• Business owners and executives who are legally responsible for OSHA compliance but lack regulatory knowledge
• Supervisors and managers who interact with OSHA during inspections and must understand the process
• HR managers who manage injury reporting, recordkeeping, and post-citation processes
• International safety professionals unfamiliar with the US OSHA system who need a structured orientation
• Legal and compliance professionals who advise organisations on OSHA matters
• Anyone preparing for the 10-Hour or 30-Hour programmes who wants the regulatory context first

• Introduction to OSHA — YOU ARE HERE (how OSHA works as a regulatory system)
• Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health Training (OSH as a discipline: hazards, exposure limits, controls)
• OSHA Worker Rights and Protection (worker rights and employer obligations in depth)
• OSHA Recordkeeping (29 CFR 1904 injury and illness recording)
• 10-Hour / 30-Hour Programmes (specific OSHA standards for general industry or construction)
• CHSO and all subsequent certifications (OSHA compliance as one competency within professional roles)

Take Introduction to OSHA first to understand the system. Then take Introduction to OSH Training to understand the science. Then take 10-Hour/30-Hour to learn specific standards. Then pursue certifications.