Which programs does your operation actually need?

“Required” comes from four places: federal OSHA, your state, your customers’ contracts, and plain good judgment. Most OSHA written programs aren’t required of every employer — they’re triggered by what your operations actually involve. Not sure which apply to you? Ask about the free gap check.

This overview reflects our research as of publication and is for general orientation — it isn’t a jurisdiction-specific determination that any one program applies to your operations, and requirements shift as OSHA and states adopt or amend standards. A signed scope of work confirms exactly what applies to you.

Required by Federal OSHA — when the trigger applies to your operations

Hazard Communication Program — required if hazardous chemicals are present in your workplace (29 CFR 1910.1200)
PPE Hazard Assessment & Certification — required for essentially every employer with workplace hazards (1910.132)
Respiratory Protection Program — required if any employee must wear a respirator; abbreviated provisions apply even to voluntary use (1910.134)
Hearing Conservation Program — required when noise exposure reaches 85 dB over 8 hours (1910.95)
Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan — required if any employee has occupational exposure, including designated first aid responders (1910.1030)
First Aid & Medical Services Program (CPR/First Aid) — trained on-site responders required when no clinic or hospital is in near proximity (1910.151/1926.50), and mandatory for logging, electric power, and confined-space rescue work; designating responders also triggers Bloodborne Pathogens coverage
Permit-Required Confined Space Program — required if your sites contain permit spaces employees will enter (1910.146)
Lockout/Tagout — Energy Control Program — required if employees service or maintain machines and equipment (1910.147)
Emergency Action & Fire Prevention Plans — written plans required for employers with more than 10 employees (1910.38/.39)
Silica Exposure Control Plan — required for construction work that cuts, grinds, or drills concrete, block, pavers, or stone — including landscape and hardscape crews (1926.1153)
Fall Protection & Rescue Planning — training, rescue, and site-specific plan requirements for work at height (1926.501–503, 1910.140)

Required by State Law — depends on where you operate

State requirements move faster than federal OSHA, and multi-state employers are often caught out. Examples we write:

Workplace Violence Prevention Plan — mandatory for nearly all California employers (SB 553); New York now requires plans for retail employers; more states are following
Heat Illness Prevention Program — required in California, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Nevada, and Minnesota (Minnesota’s rule applies to indoor workplaces); Colorado’s current rule covers agricultural workers only, with broader coverage under active discussion. A federal OSHA rule remains proposed but stalled, with no announced finalization date — worth having in place regardless.
AED Program — not required by federal OSHA, but many states mandate AEDs with trained staff at specific facilities (in Illinois, physical fitness facilities including many park district and municipal sites), and state Good Samaritan protections generally depend on documented maintenance, training, and oversight — which is what a written program provides
Wildfire Smoke Protection Plan — required for outdoor workers in California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada (Nevada’s rule took effect January 1, 2026, with implementing regulations still being finalized); increasingly relevant to Midwest outdoor crews on poor air-quality days
State-plan public employer programs — in Illinois, public-sector employers fall under the Illinois OSHA State Plan; we build complete programs for districts, municipalities, and agencies
Safety committee & other state mandates — several states require written safety committee structures or accident prevention programs; we’ll confirm what your state requires

Required by Your Customers, Contracts & Insurers

Site-Specific Safety Plans (SSSPs) — general contractors require them from subcontractors before mobilization; per-project turnaround
Contractor prequalification support — ISNetworld, Avetta, Veriforce: the written programs your grade depends on, uploaded and maintained
Return-to-Work / Transitional Duty Program — the program your workers’ comp carrier keeps asking about; directly reduces claim costs
Insurance loss-control follow-through — when your carrier’s visit ends with “develop a written program for X,” we’re who executes it

Not Required — Just Smart

Incident Investigation & Root Cause Program — every insurer recommends it; few employers have it in writing
Fleet & Driver Safety Program — vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths
Severe Weather / Tornado Emergency Plan — a Midwest-specific companion to your Emergency Action Plan
Youth & Seasonal Worker Safety Program — if you hire workers under 18, child labor equipment restrictions apply and should be documented
Volunteer Safety Program — for park districts, municipalities, and nonprofits that put volunteers to work
Specialty programs — aquatics & seasonal facilities, chainsaw & tree care (ANSI Z133), lithium-ion battery charging & storage, pesticide worker protection (EPA WPS), naloxone/overdose response, ergonomics, temporary worker safety — if your operation has a hazard, we can put the program in writing

Also Offered

Complete written safety manuals · Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) · Program reviews & updates · Training materials (English/Spanish) · Citation response & abatement documentation on deadline

Every program is researched against the actual standard, built from your real operations, and delivered with the forms and training to make it live — in English and Spanish. Tell us what you need and we’ll send a fixed quote within two business days: Contact us.