South Dakota OSHA : What you need to know

• Rules. South Dakota is not a “state plan” state; that is, it does not have a federally approved occupational safety and health regulatory program. Therefore, private sector workplaces are regulated by the federal standards.

There are no laws that govern workplace safety and health in public sector (state and local government operations) workplaces in the state. There is a general requirement for the South Dakota Bureau of Personnel to develop programs for the improvement of state employee effectiveness, including training, safety, health, counseling, and welfare.

• Administration and enforcement. OSHA administers and enforces workplace safety and health regulations at private facilities in the state.

Free on-site consultation and assistance is available to South Dakota employers through the South Dakota State University Engineering Extension in identifying and correcting specific hazards, as well as developing and implementing injury and illness prevention programs and training and education services. These services are completely separate from federal OSHA's enforcement arm, and OSHA ensures employers that their name, firm name, and any other information about their workplace will not be routinely addressed to the OSHA inspection staff.