Human Resource Blog

Tennessee State Worker Safety

	HR Management
Confidential Employee Folder Confidential Employee Medical Folder Job File Worksheet Folder Daily EEO Applicant Flow Log Workplace Information Sheets Request to Inspect Personnel Files

	Labor Laws
Complete State & Federal Labor Law Posters 1 Year Compliance Protection Plan State ONLY Labor Law Posters Federal Labor Law Posters

	Management/Leadership
Complete Harassment Forms FMLA Administrator Kit Harassment Prevention Kit Sexual Harassment Kit Workplace Information Sheets

	Structural Development
Workplace Information Sheets Complete Business Forms Kit CD FMLA Administrator Worksheet FMLA Administrator Kit USERRA Employee Handout Packet The USERRA Easy Comply Set

	Workplace Health and Safety
OSHA Safety Communication Poster Federal Forklift Poster Choking Poster Drug Free Poster Sexual Harassment Poster Wash Your Hands Poster HIPAA Poster Safety Poster Set

As a

Tennessee employer, am I subject to OSHA worker safety regulations, or those of a different agency?

Tennessee is one of 21 states with its own worker health and safety agency, so you’ll need to follow the regulations set by the division of Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health, or TOSHA, rather than the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA.  TOSHA was established by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1972.

Keep in mind that by law, every state worker safety agency must enforce standards that are at least as effective as the federal rules. In Tennessee, you’ll find that the state regulations are very similar to the regulations under OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

In Tennessee, private employers including businesses and non-profits are also covered under the state agency. TOSHA also regulates safety for local and state government employers.

States have the option to enforce additional or stricter standards than OSHA. So, for example, California has a number of regulations on the books that are a bit stricter than the federal OSHA regulations None of the state’s regulations are less strict than the comparable federal regs, however.

OSHA, the federal worker safety program, was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Section 18 of that act, encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs. However, these programs must be approved and monitored by OSHA.

The federal OSHA provides up to 50% of the funding for state worker safety agencies such as TOSHA, provided the state agencies meet all standards and perform all functions usually provided by OSHA.

TOSHA provides free safety consultations by phone. Employers with questions may call the state agency to learn more about worker safety in their specific situation.

A number of states have opted to establish such state safety programs, and have them approved by OSHA. These include Maryland, Arizona, Nevada, Kentucky, Hawaii and Alaska, as well as Tennessee.