What are the main OSHA standards that I need to be thinking about?
OSHA will enforce standards depending on how your operation is classified. Regulatory officials classify business operations using a “standard industrial classification” code (or SIC). The SIC codes for agricultural operations begin with either 01 (crop production) or 02 (livestock production). A pork operation that is clearly a production (farm) operation will be specified as SIC code 0213. It is important to note that a livestock producer who also has a feed mill or other feed “manufacturing” facility might have that portion of the operation regulated by OSHA as a manufacturing facility (SIC code 20). This would make the feed mill directly subject to a much larger array of worker health and safety regulations including all of the 29 CFR 1910 regulations for “General Industry.” Regardless of the type of operation (livestock production, feed mill, or other), you must pay very close attention to OSHA’s General Duty Clause. This clause requires all employers to “furnish to each of his em
