OSHA General Duty Clause 

The OSHA General Duty Clause requires that employers provide employees a workplace that are free from known hazards. Employers must follow OSHA guidelines by law. Employees are required to act in compliance with OSHA guidelines by law.

This clause is intended to be all-encompassing, ensuring that employees have a safe work environment. The General Duty Clause has been cited in situations where federal law does not exist and workers have been exposed to hazardous conditions. For example, OSHA has enforced NFPA 70E by citing the General Duty Clause.

For more information, the general duty clause is available on OSHA’s website:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=OSHACT&p_id=2743