In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation in 2026, rising to $70,000 for a willful or repeat violation. HazCom / GHS is enforced for private construction employers by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA). Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline.
29 CFR 1910.1200 · Tennessee
HazCom / GHS Requirements in Tennessee
HazCom / GHS in Tennessee: 2026 penalties, who enforces Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0800-1-9, Hazardous Chemical Right to Know, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
TennesseeGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)State Plan: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)State-set maximums
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 106 times in Tennessee construction (8.5% of its construction citations there, the 2nd most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1910.1200(e)(1) with 28 citations.
106
1910.1200 citations in Tennessee construction, FY2025
(e)(1)
paragraph cited most in Tennessee (28 citations)
10.2
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Tennessee, 2024 (BLS)
Tennessee 29 CFR 1910.1200 Enforcement, FY2025
Verified · 2026-08-08106
citations of 29 CFR 1910.1200 (FY2025)
$22,119
penalties for this standard
8.5%
of the state's 1,249 construction citations
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) 106 times on Tennessee construction jobsites with $22,119 in penalties for it (current amounts), about 8.5% of every construction citation the state issued that year. That put it second on Tennessee's most-cited construction list for FY2025.
What Tennessee's own rule says
“contractors and subcontractors who introduce hazardous chemicals into the workplace shall provide all other parties to the contract an MSDS for each such chemical five (5) working days prior to its introduction.”
Tennessee runs a hazard communication regime that federal law does not have, and its sharpest edge points at construction. A contractor bringing a hazardous chemical onto a site must give every other party to the contract the safety data sheet five working days before the chemical arrives, not on request, and not when work starts. Beyond that, every employer compiles a Workplace Chemical List with the chemical, its CAS number, the work area and the employer's SIC code and FEIN, filed with the Commissioner within ninety-six hours of a request; a contractor may keep one master list covering all its sites provided each workplace location appears on it. The chapter also gives fire departments a contact list, placarding and pre-planning access, and gives the public the list on request. Training responsibility stays with each employer for its own employees.
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0800-1-9, Hazardous Chemical Right to KnowThe duty itself differs from the federal text.
Harmful exposures and work deaths in Tennessee, 2024
Tennessee recorded 155 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 164 in 2023. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 16 of them (10%). Construction accounted for 29.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Tennessee, 2024
How Tennessee Enforces 29 CFR 1910.1200
Tennessee runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Tennessee's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0800-1-9, Hazardous Chemical Right to Know, which differs from the federal text (see the state rule above). Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 106 times in Tennessee construction in FY2025 (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Tennessee also sets its own civil-penalty maximums, below the federal baseline (see the penalty table below).
In Tennessee, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 went most often to Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (18) and Masonry Contractors (15). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0800-1-9, Hazardous Chemical Right to Know, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
HazComFast records the state of every jobsite and shows that the Tennessee State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Tennessee
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Tennessee, the program is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
Tennessee consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Tennessee Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.1200 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $7,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Willful | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Repeat | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Failure to abate | State schedule | Tennessee publishes its own failure-to-abate amount; see the state schedule |
Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
Key HazCom / GHS Requirements 29 CFR 1910.1200
- Maintain a written HazCom program
- Keep SDS accessible for every hazardous chemical
- Ensure containers have GHS-compliant labels
- Train employees on chemical hazards
- Maintain a chemical inventory list
- Update to GHS Rev 7 by 2026 deadlines
Who enforces it in Tennessee: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) can add requirements beyond the federal standard above, so check its own rules as well.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1910.1200 are on the 29 CFR 1910.1200 page.
Most-Cited HazCom / GHS Paragraphs in Tennessee, FY2025
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 106 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to Tennessee construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $7,000.
- 1
1910.1200(e)(1) 28 citations
“Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) …”
- 2
1910.1200(h)(1) 27 citations
“Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical …”
- 3
1910.1200(g)(8) 24 citations
“The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each …”
- 4
1910.1200(g)(1) 9 citations
“Chemical manufacturers and importers shall obtain or develop a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Employers shall have a safety data sheet in …”
- 5
1910.1200(f)(6)(ii) 8 citations
“Product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals, and which, in conjunction with the other …”
- 6
1910.1200(e)(1)(i) 3 citations
“A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that is referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet (the list may be compiled …”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Tennessee Safety & Enforcement Profile
1,249
FY2025 construction citations
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Tennessee, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (77), Framing Contractors (48) and Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (37), out of 439 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1910.1200 in Tennessee, FY2025: Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (18), Masonry Contractors (15) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (13), of 106 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Tennessee, 2024: 10.2 per 100,000 full-time workers, 14th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 5.1).
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), grouped by the cited employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free HazCom / GHS Compliance Tools
HazCom / GHS FAQ for Tennessee
What are the penalties for 29 CFR 1910.1200 violations in Tennessee in 2026?
In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.1200 carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation, and a willful or repeat violation up to $70,000. Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline. Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Each distinct violation can be cited as its own item. (Source: T.C.A. §50-3-403; verified 2026-10-05.)
Which Tennessee construction trades are cited most under HazCom / GHS?
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 106 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to Tennessee construction employers, most often to Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (18), Masonry Contractors (15) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (13) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. For context, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 1,249 construction citations across 360 inspections in FY2025. Companies in these trades should self-audit against Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0800-1-9, Hazardous Chemical Right to Know, Tennessee's own rule on this subject.
How often is HazCom / GHS cited on Tennessee jobsites?
In FY2025, Tennessee's state plan (Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)) issued 1,249 construction citations across 360 inspections (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23). HazCom / GHS can be cited during any of them: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Tennessee's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces Hazard Communication (1910.1200) in Tennessee?
TOSHA, the Tennessee OSHA program, not federal OSHA. Tennessee runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer enforces 1910.1200 across general industry and construction, and cited it 106 times in FY2025 construction. In federal construction inspections in FY2025, the HazCom paragraphs cited most were (e)(1), the written program; (h)(1), training; and (g)(8), SDS access.
Can I get free OSHA help in Tennessee without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Tennessee is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
How often does Tennessee cite 29 CFR 1910.1200 in construction?
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) 106 times on Tennessee construction jobsites, with $22,119 in penalties for that standard alone (current amounts), about 8.5% of the 1,249 construction citations the state issued that year. (Source: OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23; verified 2026-08-08.)
HazCom / GHS Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup, or read the HazCom Enforcement Report for the national picture.
Related standards
HazCom / GHS in Other States
18 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.1200 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska8 AAC 61.1110 (physical agent data sheets), with the adoption at 8 AAC 61.1010(b)ArizonaA.A.C. R20-5-602California8 CCR §5194 (Proposition 65 integration at §5194(f)(6))own maxHawaiiHAR §12-60-50(a) and §12-60-50(d)(3), with Exhibits A and BIndiana610 IAC 9-2-8(b), term substitutions applying to everything Indiana incorporatesown maxIowa481—210.4(88), with 481—210.2(88) on incorporated standardsKentucky803 KAR 2:320, Section 6 (Subpart Z), with Kentucky's own MOCA standard at Section 2own maxMarylandCOMAR 09.12.31.01 GGown max
Other OSHA Standards in Tennessee
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
Serious violation, Tennessee
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