The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created safety standards for General Industry employers under Part 1910. These standards apply to all General Industry employers in the private (non-government) sector, from retail to manufacturing, and from health care to private education establishments. Certain industries, however, involve unique hazards, so OSHA created a number of focused regulations under Subpart R for Special Industries.

These special industries include pulp and paper mills, textiles, bakery equipment, laundry operations, sawmills, logging operations, telecommunications, electric power generation, and grain handling facilities. Despite the term “industry” used, employers should note that covered facilities need not be in a specific industry. For example, the laundry operations standard could apply to a hotel which has its own facilities for laundering of bedding and towels (although the standard notes that it does not apply to dry cleaning).