General Duty Clause

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act provides "...that each employer shall furnish...employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." OSHA has used this clause to cite employers for workplace conditions that present serious occupational hazards that are not covered by OSHA's more detailed health and safety standards.