What is construction vs general OSHA?

25 Mar.,2024

 

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Employers are also responsible for adding task-specific training for each worker according to their duties. It's worth noting that the type of work dictates the training you need, not the type of employer.

If you ask a maintenance worker to perform construction or repair, you're legally responsible for making sure they know how to safely complete that work.  Sometimes there's a fine line between maintenance and construction.  The scale and complexity of the job matters.

What is OSHA Construction Training?

OSHA Construction training addresses the specific safety needs of construction sites.  It covers 29 CFR 1926 (the construction-specific standards) and some of 1910 (general standards).

Who Needs OSHA Construction Training?

You need OSHA Construction training if you're a construction worker or a contractor.  Entry-level workers need OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Outreach Training.  Workers may need additional training for specialized work.

Anyone with supervisory responsibilities should take OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety Outreach Training.  That includes foremen, engineers, supervisors, project managers, and safety specialists.

What Topics Does OSHA Construction Training Cover?

OSHA 10-Hour courses typically cover general topics like Introduction to OSHA, General Safety and Health Provisions, and Hazard Communication.  Then they focus on construction-specific concerns: Cranes and Rigging, Electrical Safety, Struck-By, Caught In/Between, Fall Protection, Power Tools, Scaffolding, and Ladders, as well as the personal protective equipment needed to keep workers safe.

OSHA requires specific training before employees perform specialized work, including Confined Space Entry, Concrete and Masonry, Use of Explosives, or Excavation Safety.  Most heavy equipment requires its own training, as well. Those topics don't appear in the 10-Hour course, but they're often rolled into 30-Hour courses since supervisors are responsible for workers with a range of duties.

What is OSHA General Industry Training?

OSHA has specific standards for Construction, Maritime, and Agriculture. Any other employer or worker falls into the catchall of "General Industry." That means the category covers everyone from manufacturing to office work. OSHA General Industry training covers standards in 29 CFR 1910.

Who Needs OSHA General Industry Training?

The broad nature of "General Industry" makes this one a little more difficult to answer. All employers have to conduct some basic workplace safety training. In low-risk industries, that won't involve anything as extensive as a 10-Hour course.

There are no universal rules for who requires 10-Hour or 30-Hour courses (sometimes known as a "DOL Card"). Certain states or types of employers require it, so check local and industry practices.  Generally speaking, workers in higher-risk fields need OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Outreach Training. That includes healthcare, factory operations, manufacturing, and warehousing.

Any workers that perform specialized tasks regulated under 1910 will need additional coursework. Foremen, engineers, supervisors, project managers, and safety specialists will need OSHA 30-Hour General Industry Outreach Training.

What Topics Does OSHA General Industry Training Cover?

OSHA 10-Hour courses largely cover universal topics: Introduction to OSHA, General Safety and Health Provisions, Emergency Plans, Personal Protective Equipment, and Hazard Communication.  A few of the topics are general to industrial work like Electrical and Machine Guarding Safety.

Topics that require additional training are as varied as Bloodborne Pathogens, Ionizing and Non-Ionizing Radiation, Confined Spaces, Welding and Cutting, and Petroleum Refining.  Most heavy equipment requires its own training, as well.

Those topics don't appear in the 10-Hour course, but they're often rolled into OSHA 30-Hour courses since supervisors are responsible for workers with a range of duties.

Are There Other OSHA Standards?

There are two other industry-specific standards, aside from Construction: Maritime and Agriculture.

What are OSHA Maritime Standards?

OSHA Maritime standards cover shipyards (29 CFR 1915), marine terminals (1917), and longshoring (1918). Gear certification standards (1919) apply to all three. Like Construction and General Industry, Maritime Outreach Training programs are available from authorized providers in the form of 10-Hour and 30-Hour courses.

You'll notice we didn't mention coverage of things like fishing vessels or oil tankers. That's because the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) protects the safety and health of employees on most maritime vessels. OSHA's anti-discrimination and whistleblower provisions still apply. But specific safety standards and inspections are the USCG's responsibility.

What are OSHA Agriculture Standards?

OSHA Agriculture standards are laid out in 29 CFR 1928.  They address agriculture-specific hazards like the use of farm equipment and exposure to inhalants.  General Industry standards (1910) also apply.

No agriculture-specific Outreach Training program exists. Instead, OSHA has a list of recommended resources. Some OSHA-authorized training providers offer adapted versions of General Industry training, as well.

Anything Else?

OSHA also authorizes Disaster Site Worker Outreach Training, though no separate standards exist.  The training addresses the specific dangers of natural or man-made disasters.

In the same way that the USGS regulates maritime vessels, a few other industries are regulated by specialized federal agencies instead of OSHA. This includes the Department of Energy and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. 

Employers in those industries still have to educate workers about their rights under OSHA, but the other agencies handle specific safety standards and inspections.

What About Other Health & Safety Threats?

The General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act says employers have to protect workers from all "recognized hazards." This means they're duty-bound to minimize risks that OSHA hasn't spelled out, once they're aware they exist.

This allows OSHA to hold employers responsible for health and safety issues that aren't technically a violation of any particular standard.

Bottom Line

OSHA training is crucial to legal compliance and your workforce's safety. These days, you can provide workers with online OSHA coursework instead of classroom training. It offers flexible scheduling and a self-paced experience for individual workers. It's also more efficient, consistent, and cost-effective. 

We're a leading OSHA-authorized provider with over fifteen years of experience. We can also handle your other safety training needs, like DOT and MSHA.  And we offer whole-business solutions to make training compliance simple. Contact us today!

Are OSHA Construction Standards Different Than General Industry Standards?

In short, the answer is yes.

Construction and General Industry are two out of four categories of safety and health hazard-related rules for U.S. workers. The other two categories are Agriculture and Maritime. OSHA standards for Construction and General Industry apply to most U.S. workforce.

Each of these categorized standards has industry-specific differences. Though, there is some overlap between the categories.

Which Businesses Are a Part of These Safety Standards Categories?

OSHA does not formally define a clear difference between the categories. The administration defines “Construction” as anyone engaged in construction-related work. They define “General Industry” as anyone involved in work that is not construction, agriculture or maritime-related.

Construction Category for OSHA

“Construction work means work for construction, alteration, and/or repair, including painting and decorating,” states OSHA’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards for construction work.

Smaller-scale maintenance, such as plumbing to fix a broken pipe at a residence, does not fall under the construction category. However, replacing the entire plumbing system for a large office building would. OSHA considers the size and scale of work regarding repairs in categorizing Construction.

Types of work falling under OSHA’s Construction category may include, but not be limited to:

  • Commercial construction
  • Residential construction and renovation
  • Communication tower installation
  • Highway work zones
  • Demolition

General Industry Category for OSHA

“OSHA uses the term ‘general industry’ to refer to all industries not included in agriculture, construction or maritime,” states osha.gov.

Because this includes many industries, both General Industry and Construction standards apply to many General Industry workplaces.

Types of work falling under OSHA’s Construction category may include, but not be limited to:

  • Manufacturing
  • Health care
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Warehousing
  • Technology
  • Retail

Meeting Unique Workplace Health & Safety Standards Needs

As the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the health and safety standards that most employers in the U.S. must abide by, they must meet unique needs. Each industry has special working conditions.

Overarching OSHA Standards

Many of OSHA’s health and safety standards apply to all workforce in the U.S., whenever applicable. Standards overarch and separate as technology advances to ensure efficient, safe and health hazard-free workplaces.

Where OSHA Construction Standards & General Industry Standards Meet

A large number of OSHA’s standards apply to the Construction and General Industry categories, though not to the Agriculture and Maritime types. The Agriculture and Maritime types present unique logistical challenges and needs, so those categories can not have the exact standard facility requirements as Construction and General Industry categories.

For example, a temporary construction site (Construction) and a food truck park (General Industry) may have the same health and safety standards for sanitation facilities. People transporting cargo across bodies of water (Maritime) or those harvesting in an expansive field (Agriculture) have different OSHA standards and solutions that are more functional for those industries.

Contact Us for Health & Safety Standards Support

Contact us today if your business is in the Construction or General Industry category. Our experienced, OSHA-certified professionals can help you meet OSHA’s environmental health and safety standards.

What is construction vs general OSHA?

Are OSHA Standards Different Than General Industry Standards?

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