1910.3: Petitions for OSHA Standards
Any interested person may petition the Assistant Secretary of Labor in writing to create, change or revoke a standard, describing the rule wanted, its effects and the reasons. The section also explains how organizations could submit their standards for review as national consensus standards.
Key takeaways
- 1910.3 is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart A).
- OSHA cited it 1 times in the last 3 years, in 1 inspections, with $16,550 in current penalties.
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.3, "Petitions for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of a standard", is an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart A). It has 4 numbered 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
Show the full text of 1910.3 (4 paragraphs)
(a) Any interested person may petition in writing the Assistant Secretary of Labor to promulgate, modify, or revoke a standard. The petition should set forth the terms or the substance of the rule desired, the effects thereof if promulgated, and the reasons therefor.
(b) 1 citations
(1) The relevant legislative history of the Act indicates congressional recognition of the American National Standards Institute and the National Fire Protection Association as the major sources of national consensus standards. National consensus standards adopted on May 29, 1971, pursuant to section 6(a) of the Act are from those two sources. However, any organization which deems itself a producer of national consensus standards, within the meaning of section 3(9) of the Act, is invited to submit in writing to the Assistant Secretary of Labor at any time prior to February 1, 1973, all relevant information which may enable the Assistant Secretary to determine whether any of its standards satisfy the requirements of the definition of “national consensus standard” in section 3(9) of the Act.
(2) Within a reasonable time after the receipt of a submission pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the Assistant Secretary of Labor shall publish or cause to be published in the Federal Register a notice of such submission, and shall afford interested persons a reasonable opportunity to present written data, views, or arguments with regard to the question whether any standards of the organization making the submission are national consensus standards.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.3.
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Frequently asked questions
Who can petition for a new OSHA standard?
Any interested person.
How must the petition be made?
In writing to the Assistant Secretary of Labor.
What should the petition include?
The terms or substance of the rule desired, its effects if adopted, and the reasons for it.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.3 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-19
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.