1910.1043(a): Scope and application
Key takeaways
- 1910.1043(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910).
- Related part: 1910.1043(a)(2).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.1043(a) ("Scope and application") is one requirement inside 1910.1043 Cotton dust, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910). It includes 6 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(a) Scope and application.
(1) This section, in its entirety, applies to the control of employee exposure to cotton dust in all workplaces where employees engage in yarn manufacturing, engage in slashing and weaving operations, or work in waste houses for textile operations.
(2) This section does not apply to the handling or processing of woven or knitted materials; to maritime operations covered by 29 CFR Parts 1915 and 1918; to harvesting or ginning of cotton; or to the construction industry. Open (a)(2)
(3) Only paragraphs (h) Medical surveillance, (k)(2) through (4) Recordkeeping—Medical Records, and appendices B, C and D of this section apply in all work places where employees exposed to cotton dust engage in cottonseed processing or waste processing operations.
(4) This section applies to yarn manufacturing and slashing and weaving operations exclusively using washed cotton (as defined by paragraph (n) of this section) only to the extent specified by paragraph (n) of this section.
(5) This section, in its entirety, applies to the control of all employees exposure to the cotton dust generated in the preparation of washed cotton from opening until the cotton is thoroughly wetted.
(6) This section does not apply to knitting, classing or warehousing operations except that employers with these operations, if requested by NIOSH, shall grant NIOSH access to their employees and workplaces for exposure monitoring and medical examinations for purposes of a health study to be performed by NIOSH on a sampling basis.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.1043.
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.1043(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Standards that apply to cotton gins (2002-08-06)
Related parts of this rule
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Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.1043 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.
