What OSHA does
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA sets and enforces workplace safety and health standards, conducts inspections, provides compliance assistance, and protects certain worker rights. Its requirements address hazards such as dangerous chemicals, unsafe machinery, falls, excessive noise, respiratory risks, and infectious agents.
State-plan jurisdictions may operate their own OSHA-approved programs with requirements that are at least as effective as federal OSHA. As a result, businesses should determine whether federal OSHA or an applicable state plan has authority over each workplace.
What employers are responsible for
Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards and comply with all applicable standards. This includes identifying workplace risks, maintaining required records, providing suitable personal protective equipment, and training employees in a language and vocabulary they can understand.
For hazardous chemicals, the Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to maintain a written program and chemical inventory. Containers must be properly labelled, current safety data sheets must be readily accessible, and affected employees must receive appropriate information and training.
OSHA may inspect a workplace following a complaint, referral, severe injury or fatality, programmed inspection, or follow-up. Advance notice is generally not provided. Employers should therefore treat compliance as an ongoing responsibility rather than something addressed only when an inspection occurs.
OSHA today
OSHA updated the Hazard Communication Standard in 2024, primarily aligning it with GHS Revision 7. The revisions affect areas such as chemical classification, safety data sheet information, labelling, and the treatment of small containers.
On January 15, 2026, OSHA extended the first compliance date to May 19, 2026 and moved the remaining compliance dates by four months. During the transition, regulated parties may comply with the previous standard, the updated standard, or both. Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors, and employers should confirm which deadlines apply to their responsibilities and product types.
For 2026, OSHA retained the 2025 maximum penalty levels: up to $16,550 per serious violation and $165,514 per willful or repeated violation. Failure-to-abate penalties may also accumulate for each day that a violation remains unresolved.
How Nexreg can help
Nexreg can update U.S. safety data sheets and workplace labels to support Hazard Communication compliance. Contact Nexreg to have your product documents reviewed against the revised standard.
For additional information about OSHA and its responsibilities, visit the agency’s OSHA at a Glance resource.