What does OSHA primarily develop for various industries?

The primary focus of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is the development of standards for various industries. These standards establish enforceable criteria that organizations must follow to ensure safe and healthful working conditions. They cover a wide range of workplace hazards and provide specific requirements that employers need to implement to protect their employees.

Standards are critical because they set the baseline for safety and health practices, ensuring that workers are trained and that necessary precautions are taken. This can include regulations related to equipment safety, exposure limits to hazardous substances, and required protective gear.

While regulations, guidelines, and procedures may relate to or encompass the standards, they do not hold the same authoritative weight. Regulations often refer to the policies put in place for enforcement, guidelines are more recommendations on best practices rather than mandatory rules, and procedures outline steps for specific tasks but do not set the broad safety requirements that standards do. Thus, the role of OSHA in developing standards is central to its mission of ensuring workers' safety and health across various industries.