Arizona runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by ADOSH, part of the Industrial Commission of Arizona. ADOSH covers most private employers and state and local government workplaces in Arizona. Federal OSHA keeps jurisdiction over federal agencies and some other workplaces, and mines fall under MSHA.
Who ADOSH covers
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) enforces workplace safety for most employers in the state. That includes private-sector businesses and public employers that federal OSHA does not reach directly: state agencies, counties, cities, school districts and other local government workplaces. If you run a business or a public operation in Arizona, ADOSH is almost certainly the agency that will inspect your site and issue any citations.
Arizona operates this way because it runs its own State Plan, approved by federal OSHA under 29 CFR Part 1952. A State Plan must be at least as effective as the federal program, so ADOSH adopts federal OSHA standards and can add its own.
What federal OSHA still covers in Arizona
A State Plan does not cover everything inside the state. Federal OSHA keeps jurisdiction over certain workplaces in Arizona, including federal agencies and their employees, and some other categories such as work on federal enclaves and certain activities on tribal lands.
The short version: if you are a private Arizona employer or a state or local government workplace, your agency is ADOSH. If you are a federal agency, it is federal OSHA.
Where MSHA takes over
Mines are different. Mine sites fall under the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under 30 CFR, not ADOSH or OSHA. If your operation is a mine, MSHA jurisdiction applies to that work.
Are ADOSH rules different from federal rules?
Mostly, no. Because Arizona’s plan must be at least as effective as the federal program, ADOSH adopts the federal OSHA standards you already know. The practical differences are in administration: who you report to, where you file, and a small set of state-specific requirements.
Arizona-specific rules
Arizona has adopted some requirements that go beyond or operate alongside the adopted federal standards.
What this means for citations and deadlines
Because ADOSH enforces the standards in Arizona, an inspection, a citation and any contest run through ADOSH and the Industrial Commission of Arizona, not federal OSHA. The deadlines on a citation are real and start when the citation arrives. For the steps to take, see what happens during an ADOSH inspection and got an ADOSH citation. Your recordkeeping obligations, such as the OSHA 300 log requirements, are the same under the Arizona plan.
ETC has trained teams at more than 10 Arizona state agencies, including ADEQ, ADOA and ADOT, and cities including Phoenix, Tucson and Chandler.
FAQs
Is ADOSH stricter than OSHA?
ADOSH must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and adopts the federal standards. In most cases the rules are the same. A few Arizona-specific requirements exist, so check the standard that applies to your work.
Who inspects construction sites on tribal land?
Jurisdiction on tribal lands depends on the specific land status and the parties involved, and it can fall to federal OSHA rather than the state plan.
Do federal OSHA standards still apply in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona adopts the federal OSHA standards through its State Plan and enforces them as ADOSH, so the substance of the standards still applies to your site.
Next step: get an audit
Not sure which rules apply to your site? Book a safety audit. ETC will review your site against the standards ADOSH enforces and tell you where you stand. Start with an OSHA safety audit.
Not sure which rules apply to your site? Book a safety audit.
Call (602) 923-9673