Who regulates workplace safety in the United States?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), part of the US Department of Labor, administers federal workplace safety law under the OSH Act of 1970. Around half the states operate their own OSHA-approved state plans.

Does the UK approach to risk assessment satisfy OSHA?

Not on its own. The US system is built on prescriptive OSHA standards and the General Duty Clause rather than a single risk assessment duty. UK documentation usually needs to be mapped to the applicable OSHA standards and, where relevant, the more stringent state plan requirements.

What is different about California?

California operates Cal/OSHA, a state plan that is in several respects more stringent than the federal OSHA baseline, with additional standards and requirements. Operations in California need to account for this specifically.

Can Arinite manage health and safety for a UK business with US sites?

Yes. Coordinating US OSHA and state obligations alongside the rest of an international estate, within a single group compliance system, is a core part of what Arinite does. For US-specific enforcement matters we coordinate with locally qualified specialists.

What does it cost to work with Arinite for US operations?

Cost depends on the number and location of US sites, the nature of the operations, the current state of existing arrangements, and the scope of services required. A free gap analysis call with one of our Qualified consultants will give a clear estimate.

HSE inspections up 47% - HSE carried out over 13,200 workplace inspections in 2024/25.

LocationsUnited States
Health and Safety Consultants in theUnited States

Q: What is the General Duty Clause?

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, which requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. It applies where no specific OSHA standard covers a hazard.

OSHA compliance support · Risk assessments · DSE and ergonomics · Coordination of US federal and state safety obligations with group standards · Support in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and across the US

The United States runs a workplace safety system that is structurally different from the UK and Commonwealth models. It is built on federal standards enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), overlaid by state plans in around half the states, and anchored by the General Duty Clause rather than a single overarching risk assessment duty. For UK-headquartered and international groups with US operations, this is the jurisdiction where assuming the home framework applies causes the most trouble. Arinite provides Qualified consultants and compliance software to internationally operating businesses with US sites, coordinating OSHA obligations with a single group compliance standard across 50+ countries.

Book My Free US Gap Analysis Call +44 (0)20 7947 9581

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ABOUT

Workplace Health and Safety
in the United States

The foundation of US workplace safety law is the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act), administered federally by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), part of the US Department of Labor. The system differs from the UK and Commonwealth approaches in several important ways:

The General Duty Clause

Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm. This functions differently from the UK style of a single statutory risk assessment duty, though documented hazard assessment remains essential in practice.

Prescriptive OSHA standards

Much US compliance is driven by detailed standards, principally 29 CFR 1910 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926 for construction, covering specific hazards in prescriptive terms.

Federal OSHA and state plans

Around half the states operate their own OSHA-approved state plans, some of which (notably California's Cal/OSHA) are more stringent than the federal baseline. Where a business operates matters.

Recordkeeping and reporting

Employers must maintain injury and illness records (such as the OSHA 300 log, subject to size and industry exemptions) and report serious incidents within set timeframes.

No single competent person duty

The US framework does not use the UK style competent person appointment, although the term "competent person" appears in specific OSHA standards, particularly in construction.

Arinite provides Qualified consultants and compliance software to internationally operating businesses with US sites. Our particular strength is for UK and international groups that need their US operations to meet OSHA and state obligations while staying consistent with a single global compliance system. For US-specific enforcement matters, we coordinate with locally qualified specialists.

CITIES

Health and Safety Support
Across the United States

New York

The largest US commercial and financial centre.

San Francisco

And the technology sector of the Bay Area.

Chicago

Boston

Los Angeles

And across California, where Cal/OSHA applies.

Washington DC

Seattle

Austin

Dallas

Houston

Atlanta

Miami

Denver

San Jose

COMPLIANCE GAPS

Common Compliance Gaps We Find in US
Operations of International Businesses

Assuming the home framework applies. UK or Commonwealth documentation used unchanged, without reflecting the OSH Act, OSHA standards, or the General Duty Clause.

State plan differences overlooked, particularly the more stringent Cal/OSHA regime in California.

OSHA recordkeeping (such as the 300 log) not maintained where required, or reporting timeframes missed.

Applicable 29 CFR 1910 standards not identified for the specific operation.

DSE and ergonomic arrangements inconsistent across US and home-market sites.

No coordinated group view of US obligations alongside the rest of the international estate.

SERVICES

Our Health and Safety
Services for US Operations

Delivered through Qualified consultants and integrated health and safety software, as part of our outsourced health and safety service.

OSHA compliance support

Identifying applicable OSHA standards and General Duty Clause obligations for the operation, coordinated with locally qualified specialists for enforcement matters.

Hazard and risk assessments

Documented hazard assessment aligned to OSHA expectations.

State plan coordination

Accounting for state plan differences, including Cal/OSHA in California.

DSE and ergonomic assessments

For office, home, and hybrid workers, consistent across the group.

Group compliance coordination

Aligning US obligations with a single multi-jurisdiction compliance system.

Book a Free Gap Analysis Call

Book a free gap analysis call with one of our Qualified health and safety consultants. In 30 minutes, we will assess your current arrangements, identify the compliance gaps that matter most for your US operations including state plan differences, and give you a clear recommendation and indicative cost.

Book My Free Gap Analysis Call +44 (0)20 7947 9581

OUR PROVEN SYSTEM

How Arinite's Health and Safety Consultants
Transform Your Compliance

From Reactive Firefighting to Proactive Health & Safety Compliance

STAGE 1

REACTIVE(Where 60% of Businesses Operate)

No formal HSE systems in place. Everything is reactive, waiting for something to go wrong. Documentation is missing or outdated.

Why It's Dangerous:

✗£50K-£150K average fine when (not if) HSE inspects
✗Can't bid on contracts requiring HSE certification
✗One accident away from director prosecution

This isn't just "non-compliant." It's criminally negligent. Directors face personal prosecution.

STAGE 2

COMPLIANCE(Where Most Businesses Stop)

Basic HSE documentation is in place. Minimum legal requirements met. You can pass a basic audit.

Why It's Better (But Not Enough):

✓Legal protection (no fines if inspected)
✓Can bid on contracts requiring certification
✓Pass basic client audits
✗Still reactive (problems arise, then you respond)
✗Compliance maintained by one person (bottleneck)
✗Systems don't run themselves

Compliance is where most consultants get you, then leave. You're legal, but you're not optimised.

STAGE 3

PROACTIVE(Where Arinite Clients Operate)

Systems run proactively, preventing problems before they occur. Compliance is distributed, not dependent on one person.

Why It's Transformational:

✓Win more contracts (HSE certification opens doors)
✓Save 20+ hours/week (systems run themselves)
✓Peace of mind (sleep soundly, without the fear of prosecution)
✓Focus on your core business while we handle compliance

That's why 95%+ of clients renew year after year.

The Arinite Difference:

”

Robert Winsloe

Managing Director, Arinite

“We work with you to deliver peace of mind. We tailor our service provision to your business to provide proactive, pragmatic health and safety advice and that helps reduce costs by ensuring compliance with relevant health and safety legislation.”

Other Consultants

Get you to Stage 2 (Compliant) and disappear.

Arinite

Gets you to Stage 3 (Proactive) and keeps you there.

That's why we call it transformation, not just compliance.

CONSULTANTS + SOFTWARE

Where Health and Safety Consultants
Meet Compliance Software.
Globally.

Health & Safety Consultants+H&S Software+Arinite AI

Consultants+H&S Software+Arinite AI

Compliance

Traditional consultancies audit, report and leave. You get a document and the job of implementing it.

Control

Software companies give you dashboards and workflows without the knowledge to use them.

Coverage

Global businesses need consultants who know compliance in every jurisdiction.

Arinite

We are not a consultancy that adds external software. We are not a software company that recommends consultants.

We are the place where those two things finally become one.

GLOBAL LOCATIONS

Global Health and Safety Consultants.
International Compliance, Local Delivery.

50+ Countries. Global Safety. Local Trust.

50+ Countries

Headquartered in London, UK, with Qualified health and safety consultants in 50+ countries. Whether you need a health and safety audit in Manchester, a fire risk assessment in Birmingham, or outsourced workplace health and safety compliance in Singapore, we have consultants near you.

Don't see your location?

We're expanding globally

“

Brendan Tuite

Operations Director, Arinite

35+ Years Experience

50+ Countries Served

95%+ Client Retention

My Name Is Brendan Tuite.

I have been in the health and safety business for 35+ years. In that time, I have had one consistent experience across every sector and every country I have worked in.

Every business we speak to already knows, somewhere, that their workplace health and safety compliance has not kept pace with their growth. It is not ignorance. It is business. It is the assumption that because nothing has gone wrong yet, the gaps are probably manageable.

What stops most businesses from doing something about it is not the cost of outsourcing health and safety support. It is the fear of finding out how significant the gaps are.

The Free Gap Analysis Call exists for exactly that moment.

You get the full picture of your workplace health and safety position in 30 minutes.

“In 35+ years, I have not once had someone tell us they wished they had stayed in the dark.”

Book My Free Gap Analysis Call

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FAQ

Health and Safety in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about OSHA, the General Duty Clause, state plans including Cal/OSHA, and US compliance

Still Have Questions About Health & Safety Compliance?

Our Qualified health and safety consultants are here to help with any queries about workplace safety, compliance, or our services.

Get in Touch Call: +44 (0)20 7947 9581

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