Letters of Interpretation | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Letters of Interpretation

OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards, and regulations. Our interpretation letters explain these requirements and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they cannot create additional employer obligations. Each letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed.

Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information.

These letters of interpretation and the standards they address may not apply to OSHA State Plans. State Plans are required to have standards and enforcement programs that are at least as effective as OSHA's and may have different or additional requirements. Please see OSHA-approved State Plans for more information.

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Date	Title	Standard Number
10/28/1985	Applicability of Ground-fault Protection Standards When Extension Cords are Plugged into Permanent Wiring at Construction Sites.	1926.400
10/28/1985	Procedures for ethylene oxide (EtO) spills and ethylene oxide disposal	1910.1047
10/21/1985	The Willson SPECTRA eye protective device complies with ANSI Z87.1- 1968.	1910.133(b)(2)
10/18/1985	OSHA does not "list" or accredit testing laboratories under 29 CFR Part 1907.	1907 - Table of Contents
10/10/1985	Noise standards applicable to Metra are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration.	1975.1, 1910.95
10/09/1985	Air compressor systems must be tested for air purity on six month intervals.	1910.430(b)(4)
10/04/1985	Generic MSDSs to cover different products that contain the same chemicals in different proportions.	1910.1200
10/03/1985	Requirements for scaffold plank.	1926.451
09/30/1985	Interpretation of 29 CFR 1926.950(a).	1926.950
09/30/1985	Fall protection for employees engaged in erecting or dismantling scaffolds.	1926.28
09/26/1985	Temporary lighting at construction sites.	1926.401(j)(2)
09/25/1985	There is no requirement for employers to respond to requests for material safety data sheets (MSDS) for old products.	1910.1200
09/25/1985	The use of Presense Sensing Device Initiation light curtains in regard to Mechanical Power Presses, Hydraulic Power Presses and Hydraulic Welding Presses.	1910.212
09/23/1985	Proposed rule by the EPA that sets criteria for offshore incineration of liquid wastes.	1975.1
09/20/1985	Requirements for reporting fatalities and/or injuries to OSHA	1904.8
09/12/1985	Fall Protection for Employees Engaged in Erecting or Dismantling Scaffolds.	1926.28, 1926.105
09/09/1985	Four-wheel All Terrain vehicles which lack roll-over protection structures are not presently covered by our construction standards.
09/09/1985	Use of synthetic or fiber ropes as a safety railing.	1926.750
09/04/1985	Twenty-four hour coverage for emergency telephone numbers.	1910.1200
09/04/1985	MSDS and label requirements for an antiknock compound containing EDB, EDC, and tetraethyl lead.	1910.1200