Occupational Safety and Health

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What We Do

The Occupational Safety and Health Division administers a broad scope of workplace safety and health laws that apply to the private sector and all state and local government agencies. OSH offers free services to more than 260,000 private and public employers through its Consultative Services Bureau. The Education, Training and Technical Assistance Bureau provides a variety of training and outreach services for the public. The Compliance Bureaus conduct about 4,500 inspections a year. The Planning, Statistics and Information Management Bureau maintains statistical data about N.C. employers and manages inspection and investigative case file disclosures and archiving. Preoccupancy migrant housing inspections and workplace safety and health inspections in agriculture are completed by the Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau.

Frequently Requested Information

Report an Accident

Report any work-related fatality, hospitalization, amputation, and loss of an eye.

Make a Payment

Pay your fees and penalties online.

Free Workplace Posters

Order your free workplace posters now.

File a Safety and Health Complaint

Report workplace safety and health concerns confidentially.

Employer Assistance

Learn More

Publications

Order OSHA standards books, order free workplace labor law posters and download publications.

Safety and Health Topics

View hazards, solutions, regulations, and resources for a variety of occupational safety and health topics.

Safety and Health Training

View the training calendar and request free safety and health training on a variety of topics.

OSH Statistical Reports

View information on workplace fatalities, frequently cited OSHA standards and N.C. occupational safety and health program statistics.

NCDOL Library

Access free safety videos, borrow books or DVDs, and request research assistance.

Experience Rate Modifier Requirements

View requirements for businesses with a workers’ compensation experience rate modifier of 1.5 or higher.

Alliances and Partnerships

Standards Information

Enforcement Procedures

View OSH Division Enforcement Procedures to learn how OSHA standards are enforced in N.C.

Standards Information and Activity

View recently adopted OSHA standards and upcoming compliance dates.

Variance Requests

In accordance with North Carolina General Statute 95-132, an employer can petition the NCDOL for relief from the requirements of a standard.

Applicable OSHA Standards

Identify the OSHA standards that apply to you.

Occupational Safety and Health Laws and Administrative Rules

Occupational Safety and Health Act

The Occupational Safety and Health Division enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which governs workplaces to ensure as far as possible all employers and employees safe and healthful working conditions through the prevention of injuries and illnesses via programs that provide education, enforcement and research.

OSH Administrative Rules

The N.C. Department of Labor adopts administrative rules, which provide further information regarding enforcement of the Act. The rules for the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina can be found at the Office of Administrative Hearings website.

Safety and Health Programs and Committees

This legislation requires businesses with a workers’ compensation experience rate modifier (ERM) of 1.5 or higher to improve their workplace safety and health efforts.

OSHA Standards

With certain exceptions, the N.C. Department of Labor adopts federal OSHA standards verbatim. When OSH Administrative Rules differ from federal OSHA standards, employers must comply with the state-specific rules.

Hazardous Chemicals Right to Know Act

The OSH Division enforces the Hazardous Chemicals Right to Know Act to ensure firefighters have all the information they need to respond to chemical emergencies and to ensure that citizens have access to sufficient information to make informed judgments about the hazards in their communities.