To help you gain a thorough grasp of OSHA standards in North Carolina, we are going to go over state plans, OSHA North Carolina training requirements, how you can get your OSHA training, and statistics that illustrate why training is so important.
Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in North Carolina
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) allows states to assume their own occupational safety and health responsibilities as long as they're "at least as effective" as the federal program.
North Carolina has an official state plan that covers all state and local government workers in North Carolina, as well as most private sector workers.
They adopted all OSHA standards except the unique standards in areas like:
General Industry
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
- Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
- Communication Towers
Construction
- Personal Protective Equipment and Life-Saving Equipment
- Steel Erection
- Bloodborne Pathogens
- Communication Towers
- Blasting and Use of Explosives
- Non-Ionizing Radiation
Agriculture
- Field Sanitation
The North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health (NC OSH) Division of the state Department of Labor administers and enforces the state plan. That includes any inspections, complaints, recordkeeping, and reporting under their jurisdiction.
A small number of North Carolinians remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction, instead. Specifically:
- Federal employment
- The U.S. Postal Service plus private contractor-operated facilities engaged in USPS mail operations
- Maritime operations (i.e., shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring)
- Employment on Indian reservations
- Railroad employment (that isn't otherwise regulated by another federal agency)
- The American National Red Cross
- Enforcement on military bases
- Contractors and subcontractors working on federal establishments where land has been ceded to the federal government
- Working conditions of aircraft cabin crew while aircraft is in operation
- Any hazard, industry, area, operation, or facility where the State Plan is unable to effectively exercise jurisdiction
OSHA North Carolina Training Requirements
Since North Carolina adopted most federal standards, North Carolinians will follow similar training requirements regardless of jurisdiction.
OSHA requires training on specific safety standards that apply to your job functions.
The only time jurisdiction might impact training are the standards where North Carolina adopted its own particular version. Luckily, NC OSH provides a list of North Carolina State Specific Standards on its website, along with guidelines to help you decide which standards apply to your workplace.
Federal OSHA also has Outreach courses (sometimes referred to as "DOL cards") that cover common requirements for your industry. Even though OSHA doesn't require OSHA Outreach training, some employers might. In that case, you’ll either need an OSHA 10-Hour course for entry-level workers or an OSHA 30-Hour course for supervisors.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OSHA 10-HOUR AND 30-HOUR COURSES
We offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to meet your OSHA training needs.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide.
Benefits of OSHA North Carolina Training for Workers
First and foremost, OSHA training is designed to prevent workplace injuries, accidents, and fatalities. However, employers can also benefit from OSHA training programs. They can avoid OSHA inspection penalties, lower workers’ compensation costs, and increase job site productivity and financial performance.
While we’ve been saying safety training reduces workplace accidents, the stats prove it. Read on to learn from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and other North Carolina agency jobsite accident statistics.

Fatal Occupational Injuries in North Carolina
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 183 fatal occupational injuries in North Carolina in 2017, while nationally there were 5,147 fatal occupational injuries.
Of the 183 fatalities:
- 73 were the result of transportation incidents
- 28 were the result of falls, slips, and trips
- 26 were the result of contact with objects and equipment
- 27 were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
- 23 were the result of exposure to harmful substances or environments
- 6 were the result of fires and explosions
The industries with the greatest number of fatalities were:
- 27 in transportation and warehousing
- 36 in construction
- 24 in administrative and waste services
- 20 in government (12 federal, 5 state, 3 local)
- 22 in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
2019 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in North Carolina
As you know now, workers in North Carolina, especially those in construction, are at a high risk for jobsite accidents. However, workers aren’t the only ones that will benefit from safety training; employers can use training to reduce their risk of enforcement penalties.
While OSHA lists the top enforcement cases on their website, to give you a quick idea of the financial stakes, here are the top cases for 2019.
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State | Inspection Number | Employer | City | Issuance Date | Initial Penalty |
NC | 1361631.015 | Everest Textile USA, LLC | FOREST CITY | 04/25/2019 | $91,000.00 |
NC | 1365946.015 | Onsite Development, LLC | CHARLOTTE | 04/24/2019 | $64,800.00 |
NC | 1389927.015 | D.R. Horton, Inc. | MATTHEWS | 04/10/2019 | $41,000.00 |
NC | 1408636.015 | Industrial Fabricators, Inc. | GASTONIA | 08/05/2019 | $46,000.00 |
NC | 1360676.015 | Dynamic Stampings of North Carolina, Inc. | GASTONIA | 03/18/2019 | $70,500.00 |
NC | 1352577.015 | Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp. | TAR HEEL | 03/15/2019 | $75,000.00 |
NC | 1375430.015 | D.R. Horton, Inc. - Greensboro | GREENSBORO | 03/11/2019 | $42,000.00 |
NC | 1355439.015 | JS Fiber Co., Inc. | STATESVILLE | 02/25/2019 | $165,660.00 |
NC | 1348055.015 | Callaghan - Callaghan, Inc. | MONROE | 02/15/2019 | $89,000.00 |
Federal and State OSHA Offices in North Carolina
Since North Carolina employers and workers are divided up into federal and state jurisdiction, there are separate local area offices for state and federal OSHA.
Both offices are located in Raleigh.
You need to contact a federal office for federal employees, United States Postal Service (USPS), private sector maritime activities, employment on Indian reservations, railroad employment, enforcement on military bases, and the American National Red Cross.
You need to contact a North Carolina state plan office if you're in the public sector, instead. That includes all state and local government employers and workers.
You can find the most up-to-date contact information for either type of North Carolina OSHA office on OSHA's website.
Additional North Carolina Resources for Safety Information
In addition to the information we have provided, you can visit additional North Carolina state government websites for more safety resources.
North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL): The NCDOL is in charge of managing several different divisions that cover regulations, safety and health, and workplace rights.
North Carolina Industrial Commission: This agency administers the state’s workers’ comp program, which includes providing benefits and answering the most frequently asked questions.
Enroll Now in North Carolina OSHA Training Courses
While you now know that OSHA North Carolina training is crucial to the safety and well-being of workers, you still have to select the appropriate training course for your industry.
We have over 20 years of experience as an OSHA-authorized training provider, and we offer OSHA 10-Hour Construction, OSHA 30-Hour Construction, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, and OSHA 30-Hour General Industry to satisfy your OSHA training needs.
Simply select the appropriate training course and sign up today!