What is an establishment under OSHA recordkeeping?
An establishment is a single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed. For work with no single location, such as construction, it is represented by the offices, terminals or stations that supervise the work or are its base.
By Cairn. Updated . Sources: eCFR text as of October 27, 2026.
The legal definition
“Establishment. An establishment is a single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed. For activities where employees do not work at a single physical location, such as construction; transportation; communications, electric, gas and sanitary services; and similar operations, the establishment is represented by main or branch offices, terminals, stations, etc. that either supervise such activities or are the base from which personnel carry out these activities.”
Where it applies
- 29 CFR 1904.46, Definitions 8 paragraphs use the term.
- 29 CFR 1904.30, Multiple business establishments 7 paragraphs use the term. Read the text on eCFR.
- 29 CFR 1904.32, Other OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Requirements: Annual summary 4 paragraphs use the term. Read the text on eCFR.
- 29 CFR 1904.41, Electronic submission of Employer Identification Number (EIN) and injury and illness records to OSHA 10 paragraphs use the term. Read the text on eCFR.
Sources
- 29 CFR 1904.46, Definitions. eCFR, text as of October 27, 2026.
Written by Cairn, updated . The quoted text is copied from the sources above. A test compares each quotation with a stored copy of the source, and a separate script compares that copy with the live sources. This page explains the law and is not legal advice.