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OSHA General Industry vs. Construction Industry Standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted to provide on-the-job safety and health conditions for American employees. The Act established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and assigned to it a “general duty” to ensure that employers maintain their workplaces free from hazards likely to cause death or serious harm to employees. The Act also gave the Secretary of Labor the authority to impose more specific duties or standards to certain “high risk” industries by adopting additional standards if necessary.

It is a measure of OSHA’s success in achieving its mission that, since the agency was created in 1971, workplace fatalities have been cut by more than 60% and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 40 percent. These declines in illness and injury are all the more significant for having occurred over a period in which U.S. employment nearly doubled, from 56 million workers at 3.5 million work sites to 135 million workers at 8.9 million sites.

Despite overall improvements, annual accident statistics have shown that the construction industry remains one of most hazardous to workers. Each year, more than one thousand construction workers lose their lives and 400,000 more experience injuries or illnesses on the job. Because of this, the Secretary of Labor, in conjunction with OSHA, set forth specific standards for the construction industry. These can be found in 29 CFR Part 1926.

The Construction Industry standards designate the specific conditions required by all construction industry employers. The standards are revised annually and cover a variety of areas of construction work and processes, from residential to commercial. Construction industry employers are legally bound to comply with these standards, as well as any related 29 CFR Part 1910 General Industry standards that also apply.

Many of the General Industry standards mentioned here have long been applied to construction employment. As part of the revision process, OSHA is making every effort to identify and incorporate the General Industry standards that are most likely to apply to construction work, but these have not been completely incorporated and OSHA does note that other Part 1910 standards may be applicable under some circumstances.

1910 vs. 1926

Although 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 are separate standards, there are notable differences. Some standards are covered in duplicate, and some go into more depth than the other. What follows is an outline of the differences between standards covering fall protection, confined space, GFCI requirements, personal protective Equipment (PPE), stairways and ladders, fire extinguishers, accident prevention signs and tags, eyewashes, and illumination.

Fall Protection

Although both 1926 & 1910 have versions of the fall protection standard, the construction industry standard is far more detailed than the General Industry standard. The Construction Industry standard, 1926 Subpart M, states that fall protection is required when an employee is working at a height greater than or equal to 6 feet. The General Industry standard, 1910.23(c)(2) states that "every runway shall be guarded by a standard railing on all open sides 4 feet or more above floor or ground level" referring to when guardrails are required on a platform or runway.

In addition, as of January 1, 1998, the Construction standard does not allow for the use of the back belt style harnesses. General Industry standards do not address the issue. 1926 also requires a locking snap on all harnesses and lanyards; 1910 does not. As a side note, equipment hardware strength requirements are the same for both standards. (See EZFacts® documents #130 & #131.)

Depending on the application of General Industry or Construction, the end user must select fall protection products that comply with the regulations that apply to their specific use.

Confined Space

The Confined Space standard for the construction industry, 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(6), is not as specific as the General Industry standard, 1910.146. When working in areas where confined space entry may be required, the construction industry should refer to the general industry standards for guidance. (See EZFacts® document #115.)

A full range of confined space products and air monitors can assist with full compliance of confined space regulations.

GFCI

1926.404(b)(1)(ii) requires the use of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s) on all 120-volt outlets at construction sites which are used by employees and are not part of permanent wiring. GFCI’s are not required by general industry standards. (See EZFacts® document #264.)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Although the standards for personal protective Equipment (PPE) are fairly similar between construction and general industry, they do cover different types of PPE. The Construction standards includes standards on safety belts, lifelines and lanyards, safety nets and work that takes place on or over water. Construction standards on basic PPE are typically not as specific as general industry standards are. Construction employers should refer to the General Industry standard for additional requirements. (See EZFacts® document #242.)

Stairways and Ladders

1926.1060 requires training for each employee using stairways and ladders. General Industry standards do not specifically require a user of ladders or stairways to be trained.

Fire Extinguishers

1926.151 requires that fire extinguishers with at least a 2A rating must be provided every 3000 square feet. 1910.157 specifies the ratings of the required fire extinguishers. Travel distance to a fire extinguisher is also not specifically stated. (See EZFacts® document #135.)

Accident Prevention Signs and Tags

1926.200 requires that an accident prevention sign or tag be visible at all times when work is performed. Signs must be removed or covered as soon as the hazard no longer exists. General Industry standards do not require that employers cover signs as soon as the hazard no longer exists.

Eye Washes

1926.441 requires that an eye wash and body flushing facility be within 25 feet of a battery changing area. The General Industry standard follows the ANSI recommendation that the eye wash be reachable within 10 seconds and located on the same level as the hazard. (See EZFacts® document #120.)

There are many plumbed, gravity feed, or portable eyewash/shower units to select from to comply with eyewash regulations.

Illumination

1926.56 has very specific illumination requirements for construction sites, while general industry standards rarely specify illumination requirements. For example, the Construction standard requires that there be at least five foot-candles for general construction area lighting. General industry standards are much broader. Light meters can help assess the illumination levels of an area.

Commonly Asked Questions

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Please Note: The information contained in this publication is intended for general information purposes only. This publication is not a substitute for review of the applicable government regulations and standards, and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. Readers with specific questions should refer to the cited regulation or consult with an attorney.