Enforcement Memos

Enforcement memos may provide agency policies and/or supplementary enforcement guidance, and some memos may include an interpretation of an OSHA standard. These memos are collected by topic on this webpage. Memos that provide new or revised agency policies are signed by the Assistant Secretary, and those providing only supplementary enforcement guidance are signed by the Director of Enforcement Programs. The enforcement memos that provide interpretations of OSHA standard are also posted chronologically on the OSHA webpage for Standard Interpretations.

By Topic

Combustible Dust

04/21/2015 - Evaluating Hazardous Levels of Accumulation Depth for Combustible Dusts - [1910.22; 1910.22(a)(1); 1910.22(a)(2); 1910.176; 1910.176(c)]

COVID-19, Novel Coronavirus

10/02/2020 - Temporary Enforcement Guidance – Tight-Fitting Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) Used During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
05/19/2020 - Revised Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) - [1904.1(a)(1); 1904.5; 1904.7]
05/19/2020 - Updated Interim Enforcement Response Plan for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
04/24/2020 - Enforcement Guidance on Decontamination of Filtering Facepiece Respirators in Healthcare During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
04/16/2020 - Discretion in Enforcement when Considering an Employer's Good Faith Efforts During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
04/08/2020 - Expanded Temporary Enforcement Guidance on Respiratory Protection Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces in All Industries During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
04/03/2020 - Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic - [1910.134 App B-1]
04/03/2020 - Enforcement Guidance for Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment Certified under Standards of Other Countries or Jurisdictions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
03/14/2020 - Temporary Enforcement Guidance - Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Cranes and Derricks

02/07/2019 - Temporary Enforcement Policy for Crane Operator Evaluation Requirements

Debt Collection

12/22/2020 - Prioritizing Inspections of Establishments Failing to Pay Civil Monetary Penalties
12/22/2020 - Employer Identification Number

Drones

05/18/2018 - OSHA's use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Inspections

Electric Power Standards

12/22/2016 - Enforcement of minimum approach distance requirements in 29 CFR 1910.269 and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart V - [1910.269; 1910.269(a)(3); 1910.269(l)(3); 1926.960; 1926.960(c)(1)]
04/02/2015 - 29 CFR 1910.269 and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart V: Flame Resistant Clothing and Arc-rated Protection - [1910.269; 1910.269(l)(8); 1910.269(x); 1926.960; 1926.960(g)(2); 1926.960(g)(4); 1926.960(g)(5); 1926.968]
02/18/2015 - 29 CFR 1910.269 and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart V-Enforcement dates - [1910.269; 1910.331; 1910.335; 1926.952; 1926.954; 1926.960; 1926.965]
02/18/2015 - 29 CFR 1910.269 and 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart V-Fall protection - [1910.269; 1926.502; 1926.954; 1926.959; 1926.967]
02/18/2015 - Clarification of the applicability of 29 CFR 1910.269 to line-clearance tree trimming - [1910.269; 1910.331; 1910.335]

Emphasis Program Development

12/03/2014 - Procedures for Local and Regional Emphasis Programs
11/12/2014 - Establishment-Targeting Lists for Emphasis Programs

Enforcement Weighting System

09/30/2019 - Revisions to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Weighting System

Ergonomics

10/28/2015 - Inspection Guidance for Poultry Slaughtering and Poultry Processing Establishments - [Section 5(a)(1)] - [1904 - Table of Contents/Authority for 1904; 1910 Subpart E; 1910.95; 1910.119; 1910.132; 1910.141; 1910.147; 1910.212; 1910.1200; 1913.10 ]
06/25/2015 - Inspection Guidance for Inpatient Healthcare Settings - [Section 5(a)(1)] - [1904 - Table of Contents/Authority for 1904; 1910.23; 1910.132; 1910.1030; 1910.1200; 1913.10 ]

Exits

06/18/2019 - Termination of the January 2009 Corporate-Wide Settlement Agreement between United Parcel Service (UPS) and OSHA; Enforcement of 20 CFR 1910.37(a)(3) and 29 CFR 1910.36(g)(2) - [1910.36(g)(2); 1910.37(a)(3)]

Incentive Programs/Disincentives

03/12/2012 - Employer Safety Incentive and Disincentive Policies and Practices

Injury and Illness Reports

02/21/2018 - Interim Enforcement Procedures for Failure to Submit Electronic Illness and Injury Records under 29 CFR 1904.41(a)(1) and (a)(2) - [1904.41(a)(1); 1904.41(a)(2)]
03/04/2016 - Revised Interim Enforcement Procedures for Reporting Requirements under 29 C.F.R. 1904.39 - [1904.39]

Medical and First Aid

03/31/2020 - Cyanide Antidotes - [1910.126(e); 1910.151; 1910.151(a); 1910.1000]

Penalties

01/11/2021 - 2021 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties
01/10/2020 - 2020 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties
03/28/2019 - 2019 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties

Process Safety Management (PSM)

04/30/2018 - Memorandum to Regional Administrators – Process Safety Management Retail Exemption Enforcement Policy - [1910.119]
07/21/2016 - Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals and Covered Concentrations of Listed Appendix A Chemicals - [1910.119]
05/11/2016 - RAGAGEP in Process Safety Management Enforcement - [1910.119]

Rope Descent Systems

11/20/2017 - Enforcement Guidance for General Industry Rope Descent System (RDS) Anchorage Requirements (29 CFR 1910.27(b)(1)) - [1910.21(b); 1910.27(b)(1); 1910.27(b)(1)(i); 1910.27(b)(1)(ii); 1910.27(b)(1)(iii); 1910.27(b)(2)(iv); 1910.30; 1910 Subpart B; 1910 Subpart D]

Severe Violators

Small Farms

07/29/2014 - Policy Clarification on OSHA's Enforcement Authority at Small Farms

Training Must Be Understandable

04/28/2010 - OSHA Training Standards Policy Statements - [1910.134(k); 1910.147(c); 1910.1030(g); 1910.1200(h); 1926.21]