What OSHA Regulations Apply to Small Business?

OSHA offers a free consultation service for small business owners, including help in identifying workplace hazards and establishing or improving safety and health management systems corporatewide.

In 1996, Congress passed the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) in response to concerns expressed by the small business community that federal regulations were too numerous, too complex, and too expensive to implement. SBREFA was designed to give small businesses assistance in understanding and complying with regulations and more of a voice in the development of new regulations. Under SBREFA, OSHA and other federal agencies must:

• Produce Small Entity Compliance Guides for some rules
• Be responsive to small business inquiries about compliance with the agency’s regulations
• Submit final rules to Congress for review
• Have a penalty reduction policy for small businesses
• Involve small businesses in the development of some proposed rules through Small Business Advocacy Review Panels.