OSHA has numerous standards designed to keep you safe at work. In addition, Utah has its own requirements for workplace safety and training. To help you gain a better understanding of your rights and responsibilities, we are diving into the differences between federal and state regulations, OSHA training recommendations, fatal accident and injury statistics, and where you can get your OSHA Utah training.
Occupational Safety and Health Jurisdiction in Utah
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.
Utah has an official state plan that covers all state and local government workers in Utah, as well as most private sector workers.
The state plan adopts most federal OSHA standards by reference, but sometimes supplements them with additional requirements. You can find the additions in Title R614 of Utah's Administrative Code.
The Utah Division of Occupational Safety and Health (UOSH) is part of Utah's Labor Commission. They enforce the state plan in most workplaces in Utah.
A small number of Utahans remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction, instead. Specifically:
- Federal employment
- The U.S. Postal Service plus private contractor-operated facilities engaged by USPS
- Maritime operations (ie, shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring)
- Employment on Hill Air Force Base, at Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserve (to the extent that it remains a US Department of Energy facility), and at Tooele Army Depot (including Tooele Chemical Demilitarization Facility)
- Certain agricultural employees and operations
- Working conditions of aircraft cabin crewmembers onboard aircraft in operation
- Any hazard, industry, area, operation, or facility where the State Plan is unable to effectively exercise jurisdiction
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OSHA Utah Training Requirements
Since Utah adopted many federal standards by reference, Utahans will follow similar training requirements regardless of jurisdiction.
OSHA requires training on specific safety standards that apply to your job functions. If your workplace is under UOSH instead, you'll need to incorporate Utah's unique requirements into your training plan. UOSH offers consultation services if you need help figuring out what needs to be included in your training plan.
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. Now
Benefits of OSHA Utah Training for Workers
The goal of OSHA safety training is to help increase employee’s awareness and understanding of workplace and job site hazards so that they’re better equipped to prevent fatalities and accidents. Additionally, when employers in Utah invest in OSHA training programs, they can:
- Avoid penalties from OSHA inspections
- Lower workers’ compensation costs
- Increase productivity and financial performance
While we can say awareness helps keep workers safe, it’s another thing to look at the statistics from OSHA, the Department of Labor, and other Utah agencies. These workplace injury statistics tell an important story about the role of safety training in preventing fatalities, accidents, and fines.

Fatal Occupational Injuries in Utah
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 43 fatal occupational injuries in Utah in 2017, while nationally there were 5,147 fatal occupational injuries.
Of the 43 fatalities:
- 18 were the result of transportation incidents
- 10 were the result of contact with objects and equipment
- 7 were the result of violence and other injuries by persons or animals
- 5 were the result of exposure to harmful substances or environments
- 3 were the result of falls, slips, and trips
The industries with the greatest number of fatalities were:
- 12 in transportation and warehousing
- 7 in construction
2016 Top OSHA Enforcement Cases in Utah
As you can see, workers in Utah, especially in construction, are at risk for injury and accidents. But they are not alone. Utah businesses can also use OSHA training to help reduce their risk of enforcement penalties from an OSHA inspection.
Federal OSHA lists the top enforcement cases by state on its website. To give you an idea of the hefty fines you risk for violations, here are the top cases for 2016.
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State | Inspection Number | Employer | City | Issuance Date | Initial Penalty |
UT | 1093282.015 | JOHN KUHNI SONS, INC. | LEVAN | 02/22/2016 | $76,250.00 |
Federal and State OSHA Offices in Utah
Since Utah employers and workers are divided up into federal and state jurisdiction, there are separate local area offices for state and federal OSHA.
The federal OSHA office in Denver, CO, covers federal agencies, the USPS, private facilities contracted by USPS, military facilities, and maritime activities (e.g. shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring).
All other Utahans should reach out to UOSH's state plan office in Salt Lake City.
You can find the most up-to-date contact information for either type of Utah OSHA office on OSHA's website.
Additional Utah Resources for Safety Information
In addition to the information we have provided, you can visit additional Utah state agency and association websites for more information on safety resources.
Utah Occupational Safety and Health (UOSH): The UOSH offers programs and resources to promote workplace safety.
Utah Labor Commission: This is the central regulatory agency responsible for protecting the health and safety of the Utah workforce.
Utah Insurance Department: It’s important to know that this division of the Utah Insurance Department only handles administrative and regulatory responsibilities regarding insurance companies and includes the timely payment of claims.
Enroll Now in Utah OSHA Training Courses
Now you see how OSHA Utah training is critical to the safety and well-being of workers, supervisors, and employers. The next step is to determine which OSHA training course you need.
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.
The best part is that you can register for training today and complete your course online and at your own pace.