OSHA Workplace Safety: What Your Employee Handbook Must Include

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. While OSHA does not mandate that every employer have an employee handbook, several OSHA standards require written programs, policies, and training documentation that belong in your handbook. Here is what you need to include. ## The General Duty Clause Section 5a1 of the OSH Act, known as the General Duty Clause, requires every employer to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards. This applies even where no specific OSHA standard addresses the hazard. Your handbook should include a general safety policy statement that communicates your company's commitment to maintaining a safe workplace, employee responsibilities for following safety rules and reporting hazards, and management's responsibility for providing safe working conditions. ## Hazard Communication HazCom Standard OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 requires employers that use hazardous chemicals to develop a written hazard communication program. This program must include a list of hazardous chemicals present in the workplace, procedures for maintaining and accessing Safety Data Sheets SDS, labeling requirements following the Globally Harmonized System GHS, and employee training on chemical hazards and protective measures. Your handbook should reference your HazCom program and explain where employees can access SDS sheets and how to interpret GHS labels. ## Injury and Illness Reporting ### OSHA Recordkeeping 29 CFR Part 1904 Employers with more than 10 employees in most industries must maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses using OSHA 300 logs. Your handbook should explain how employees report workplace injuries immediately to their supervisor, the difference between recordable and non-recordable incidents, that OSHA 300A summaries are posted annually from February 1 through April 30, and electronic submission requirements for certain employers. ### Anti-Retaliation Protection Section 11c of the OSH Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who report safety concerns, file OSHA complaints, or participate in inspections. Your handbook must include a clear anti-retaliation statement. Employers who discipline employees for reporting injuries face OSHA citations and potential lawsuits. ## Personal Protective Equipment PPE OSHA's PPE standards 29 CFR 1910.132-138 for general industry, 29 CFR 1926.95 for construction require employers to assess workplace hazards, determine what PPE is necessary, provide required PPE at no cost to employees, train employees on proper use, maintenance, and limitations of PPE, and ensure PPE is maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition. Your handbook should list the PPE requirements for each job role or work area, explain that wearing required PPE is mandatory and that non-compliance is grounds for disciplinary action, and describe the process for requesting replacement PPE. ## Emergency Action Plan EAP OSHA's Emergency Action Plan standard 29 CFR 1910.38 requires employers to have a written EAP if any other OSHA standard requires one which many do. Even when not strictly required, an EAP is strongly recommended. Your handbook or a referenced separate document should cover emergency reporting procedures who to call, how to activate alarms, evacuation routes and assembly points, procedures for employees who remain to operate critical equipment, a method for accounting for all employees after an evacuation, and names and contact information for employees who can provide further information. ## Fire Prevention Plan If your workplace has fire hazards, OSHA's Fire Prevention Plan standard 29 CFR 1910.39 may require a written plan. Your handbook should address fire prevention procedures, proper storage of flammable materials, maintenance of fire suppression equipment, training on fire extinguisher use, and smoking area restrictions. ## Lockout/Tagout LOTO OSHA's Lockout/Tagout standard 29 CFR 1910.147 requires employers to establish procedures for controlling hazardous energy during equipment servicing and maintenance. If your workplace involves machinery or equipment with hazardous energy sources, your handbook should reference your LOTO program, explain employee responsibilities, and describe the training requirements for authorized, affected, and other employees. ## Bloodborne Pathogens If your employees have occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials, OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard 29 CFR 1910.1030 requires a written exposure control plan. Your handbook should reference this plan and explain who is covered, what engineering and work practice controls are in place, the availability of hepatitis B vaccination at no cost, and post-exposure evaluation procedures. ## Respiratory Protection When respirators are required by OSHA standards or your hazard assessment, 29 CFR 1910.134 requires a written respiratory protection program. Your handbook should reference the program and address medical evaluation requirements before respirator use, fit testing procedures, proper use, maintenance, and storage of respirators, and training on respiratory hazards and respirator limitations. ## Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection OSHA updated its walking-working surfaces standards 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D to include fall protection requirements for general industry. If your workplace involves work at heights, elevated platforms, or areas with fall hazards, your handbook should describe fall protection requirements, housekeeping standards to prevent slips, trips, and falls, and ladder and stairway safety rules. ## Workplace Violence Prevention While OSHA does not have a specific workplace violence standard, the General Duty Clause has been used to cite employers for failing to address known violence hazards. Several states, including California, New York, and Washington, have enacted workplace violence prevention laws. Your handbook should include a workplace violence policy that defines prohibited conduct threats, intimidation, physical violence, provides a reporting mechanism, describes how the company will investigate reports, and explains consequences for violations. ## OSHA Inspections and Employee Rights Your handbook should inform employees of their rights under the OSH Act, including the right to report unsafe conditions without fear of retaliation, the right to request an OSHA inspection if they believe there are serious hazards, the right to participate in OSHA inspections, the right to access their medical and exposure records, and the right to review the OSHA 300 log. ## State OSHA Plans Twenty-two states and several territories operate their own OSHA-approved state plans that cover private sector employers. These plans must be at least as effective as federal OSHA but can have additional or stricter requirements. States with their own plans include California Cal/OSHA, Washington DOSH/WISHA, Oregon Oregon OSHA, Michigan MIOSHA, and Virginia VOSH. If you operate in a state-plan state, your handbook must address the state-specific requirements in addition to federal OSHA standards. ## Frequently Asked Questions Does OSHA require an employee handbook? Not directly. However, multiple OSHA standards require written programs HazCom, EAP, LOTO, respiratory protection that are most effectively communicated through a handbook or referenced safety manual. Who is covered by OSHA? OSHA covers most private sector employers and employees in all 50 states. It does not cover self-employed individuals, immediate family members of farm employers, or workers whose hazards are regulated by other federal agencies such as mine workers under MSHA. What are the penalties for OSHA violations? As of 2026, maximum penalties are $16,550 per serious violation and $165,514 per willful or repeated violation. These amounts adjust annually for inflation. ## Build Safety Into Your Handbook Workplace safety is not optional, and the documentation requirements are substantial. Rulewize helps employers build employee handbooks that incorporate required OSHA written programs, state-specific safety requirements, and industry-relevant safety policies — keeping your workplace compliant and your employees protected.