Kansas (Federal OSHA)
Kansas has no state OSHA plan, so federal OSHA covers private employers. Aircraft manufacturing around Wichita, meatpacking in southwest Kansas, grain elevators, oil fields and wind farms are major employers, and tornadoes, heat and wind are everyday weather concerns.
- Construction
- General Industry
- Kansas
Photo: wind turbines and a grain elevator on the Kansas prairie
At a glance
| Safety agency | Federal OSHA, Region 7, Wichita Area Office |
|---|---|
| Covers | Private employers. Federal OSHA doesn’t cover state and local government workers; ask the Kansas Department of Labor about public-sector safety. |
| Rules | Federal standards: 29 CFR 1926 (construction) and 1910 (general industry) |
| Free employer help | Kansas Department of Labor, Industrial Safety & Health consultation program |
| Workers’ comp | Division of Workers Compensation; required for employers with more than $20,000 in yearly payroll (some farm work is exempt) |
Workers’ comp in Kansas
- Tell your employer about the injury within 30 days for accidents on or after July 1, 2024 (it was 20 days before). If you no longer work there, the deadline can be shorter, so report right away.
- Your employer or its insurer chooses the authorized treating doctor. Ask before getting treatment so your bills are covered.
- Your employer must file an accident report with the state within 28 days of learning about a reportable injury.
- Other deadlines apply to formal claims. If your benefits are denied or stop, contact the Division or an attorney quickly.
See Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim.
Kansas hazards to watch
- Aircraft manufacturing: machining, composites, solvents and work at height on aircraft. See Machine Guarding.
- Meatpacking: knives, repetitive motion and sanitation. See Food Processing Plant Safety.
- Grain handling: bin entry and dust explosions. See Grain Handling.
- Oil and gas and wind: well sites and turbine climbing. See Oil & Gas Well Sites and Wind Turbine Technicians.
- Tornadoes and heat: see Severe Weather and Heat Illness Rules by State.
Report, complain and get help
- Severe injuries: 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.
- Free consultation: the Kansas Department of Labor offers confidential help that doesn’t lead to citations.
Your first-week checklist in Kansas
- Report any injury to your employer in writing, right away
- Ask who the authorized workers’ comp doctor is
- Learn the tornado shelter location at each work site
- Check grain bin entry and lockout rules if you work around grain
- Save federal OSHA’s number: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
Note: This page is a summary. Check federal OSHA and the Kansas Department of Labor for current rules.
Standards & references
- OSHA: Kansas offices
- Kansas Department of Labor
- K.S.A. 44-520: Notice of injury
- See also: States Covered by Federal OSHA
- Wages, leave and other worker rights: Kansas Worker Rights
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