Florida (Federal OSHA)
Florida has no state OSHA plan, so federal OSHA covers private employers. Florida work brings its own hazards: year-round heat, lightning, hurricanes and the dangerous cleanup and rebuilding that follow them.
- Construction
- General Industry
- Florida
Photo: roofing crew replacing a roof after a hurricane, with tarps on nearby houses
At a glance
| Safety agency | Federal OSHA, Region 4 (Atlanta), with area offices in Florida |
|---|---|
| Covers | Private employers. State and local government workers aren’t covered by OSHA in Florida. |
| Rules | Federal standards: 29 CFR 1926 (construction) and 1910 (general industry) |
| Free employer help | SafetyFlorida Consultation Program at the University of South Florida |
| Workers’ comp | Required for construction employers with even 1 employee |
Workers’ comp for construction
- Construction employers with 1 or more employees must carry workers’ comp. Most other employers must at 4 or more.
- Corporate officers in construction can be exempt only with a state exemption certificate, and only a limited number per company.
- The Division of Workers’ Compensation checks jobsites and can issue stop-work orders and penalties to employers without coverage.
- Report your injury to your employer within 30 days. See Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim.
Florida hazards
- Heat: Florida has no state heat rule, and a 2024 law bars cities and counties from adopting their own heat protections. Federal OSHA can still cite serious heat hazards. See Heat Illness Rules by State.
- Lightning: Florida leads the country in lightning strikes. Stop outdoor work and get into a building or hard-topped vehicle when thunder roars, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder. See Severe Weather.
- Hurricane cleanup: chainsaws, downed power lines, generators and carbon monoxide, damaged roofs and mold. Assume every downed line is live. See Downed Power Lines and Mold.
- Roofing: a huge part of Florida construction, and falls from roofs are a leading cause of death. See Roof Work.
After a storm: Out-of-state crews and new contractors flood in. Workers have the same OSHA rights during disaster recovery, and scams targeting workers and homeowners increase. Check that contractors are licensed with the Florida DBPR.
Report, complain and get help
- Severe injuries: employers must report a death within 8 hours, and an in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours, to federal OSHA.
- Safety complaints: federal OSHA online or at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
- Retaliation: file with OSHA within 30 days. See Whistleblower Protection.
- Unpaid wages: Florida has no state wage claim agency; use the U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division. See Florida Worker Rights.
Your first-week checklist in Florida
- Confirm your employer carries workers’ comp (construction employers must, even with 1 employee)
- Learn the lightning plan: who calls the stop and where to shelter
- Find the water and shade, and ask how breaks work on hot days
- After a storm, ask before working near downed lines, on damaged roofs or around generators
- Keep your own log of hours worked and save every pay stub
Standards & references
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