General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Medical Services and First Aid

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.151

29 CFR 1910.151 requires that, where no infirmary, clinic, or hospital is in near proximity, a trained first-aid provider and adequate first-aid supplies be available, and that quick-drenching or flushing facilities (eyewash and safety showers) be provided wherever workers may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials.

29 CFR 1910.151 at a glance

What it requires: Trained first-aid provider and supplies where no clinic is near; eyewash/drench where corrosives are used
Who it covers: General-industry employers
Eyewash rule: Quick-drench or flush facilities where eyes/body may contact corrosive materials (1910.151(c))
Key duty: Ensure prompt first aid and immediate flushing of corrosive exposures
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: Eyewash is required wherever corrosives are used, not only in obvious lab settings

What 29 CFR 1910.151 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.151 sets the medical services and first-aid requirements for general industry. Its core is availability: where an infirmary, clinic, or hospital is not in near proximity to the workplace, a person or persons must be adequately trained to render first aid, and adequate first-aid supplies must be readily available.

The standard's most-cited provision addresses corrosive chemicals: where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body must be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. In practice this means plumbed or self-contained eyewash stations and safety showers close to where acids, caustics, and other corrosives are handled.

1910.151 works with the bloodborne pathogens standard (1910.1030) where first aid may involve blood exposure, the emergency action plan requirements (1910.38), and the hazard communication and substance-specific standards that identify which chemicals are corrosive. It ensures that when engineering and PPE controls fail, immediate response is at hand.

The regulatory text

“In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.”

29 CFR 1910.151(b)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.151

A trained first-aid provider is required where no clinic or hospital is in near proximity (1910.151(b)).
Adequate first-aid supplies must be readily available.
Quick-drench eyewash and flushing facilities are required where corrosive materials may contact eyes or body (1910.151(c)).
Eyewash and drenching facilities must be for immediate emergency use, within the work area.
The eyewash provision is the standard's most frequently cited part.
It works with 1910.1030 (bloodborne pathogens) for blood exposure during first aid.
'Near proximity' is judged by the response time available, not a fixed distance.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.151 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.151
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.151

#	Employer obligation
1	Ensure medical personnel availability for advice/consultation
2	Provide trained first aid providers if no nearby medical facility
3	Provide first aid supplies approved by consulting physician
4	Install eye wash stations where corrosive chemicals are used
5	Ensure first aid kit is readily accessible

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.151. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Medical & First Aid violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.151 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

No eyewash or drenching facility where corrosive materials are used (1910.151(c)).
Eyewash station blocked, non-functional, or too far from the hazard (1910.151(c)).
No trained first-aid provider where medical help is not in near proximity (1910.151(b)).
First-aid supplies missing, inadequate, or inaccessible (1910.151(b)).
Self-contained eyewash not maintained or flushed (contaminated): 1910.151(c).

Eyewash is required wherever corrosives are used, and it must be immediate

Employers often assume eyewash stations belong only in laboratories, or that a plan to reach a sink is enough. 1910.151(c) requires suitable quick-drenching or flushing facilities within the work area, for immediate emergency use, wherever the eyes or body may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, including plating lines, cleaning operations, battery charging, and anywhere acids or caustics are handled. Because a corrosive burn worsens every second it is not flushed, a station 'somewhere in the building' or a plan to walk to a restroom does not meet the standard; the flushing must be right where the exposure can happen.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks whether a trained first-aider is available when medical help is not nearby, whether adequate first-aid supplies are stocked and accessible, and, critically, whether suitable eyewash and drenching facilities are provided and functional wherever corrosive chemicals are used. Missing or blocked eyewash stations are a classic finding.

Example: how a violation is cited

A plating line uses corrosive acid but has no eyewash station within reach, and a splash reaches a worker's eyes with no way to flush immediately. OSHA cites 1910.151(c) because quick-drenching facilities are required where eyes or body may contact corrosive materials, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Medical & First Aid compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.151. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Determine whether a clinic or hospital is in near proximity; if not, train first-aid providers.
Stock adequate first-aid supplies appropriate to the workplace's hazards and keep them accessible.
Identify every location where corrosive materials could contact eyes or body.
Provide plumbed or self-contained eyewash and drench facilities within reach at those locations.
Maintain, inspect, and flush eyewash and shower units so they work immediately when needed.
Coordinate first aid with the bloodborne pathogens program and the emergency action plan.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.151

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

First-aid and eyewash citations appear in manufacturing, plating, and lab operations. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; missing eyewash where corrosives are used is the usual finding.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Medical & First Aid compliance

When a chemical splashes the eyes or a serious injury occurs, the first seconds and minutes decide the outcome. Immediate flushing of a corrosive exposure can save sight, and a trained first-aider bridging the gap until EMS arrives can save a life. 1910.151 ensures that response is available before it is needed.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.151

Emergency Action Plan Builder Job Hazard Analysis Builder Inspection Action Plan

Medical & First Aid penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.151.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.151

When is an eyewash station required under OSHA?

Under 1910.151(c), suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body must be provided within the work area, for immediate emergency use, wherever the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials. That includes any operation using acids, caustics, or other corrosives, not only laboratories, and the facility must be close enough to use immediately after a splash.

Does OSHA require a trained first-aider on site?

Where medical help is not close. Under 1910.151(b), in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace, a person or persons must be adequately trained to render first aid, and adequate first-aid supplies must be readily available. 'Near proximity' is judged by how quickly professional medical care can reach an injured worker, not a fixed distance.

How close must an eyewash be to the hazard?

Close enough for immediate use: a worker with a corrosive splash cannot search the building for it. OSHA enforces 1910.151(c) with reference to the ANSI Z358.1 consensus standard, which describes eyewash located within about 10 seconds' travel and on the same level as the hazard, unobstructed. A station far away, blocked, or non-functional does not meet the 'immediate emergency use' requirement.

What first-aid supplies does OSHA require?

1910.151(b) requires 'adequate' first-aid supplies readily available, without a fixed list, so the supplies must match the workplace's hazards and size. OSHA points to the ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 consensus standard as a starting point for a basic first-aid kit, with additions for the specific injuries a given workplace's hazards could cause. The key is that appropriate supplies are stocked and accessible when needed.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.151

1910.151 has been part of OSHA's general-industry standards since 1971. Its corrosive-materials eyewash provision, though brief, is one of the most frequently cited requirements, and OSHA looks to the ANSI Z358.1 consensus standard for guidance on what makes an eyewash or drench facility 'suitable' and immediately usable.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.151, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Serious Eye Damage Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Emergency Action Plan (EAP)Decontamination

Related guides & articles

OSHA First Aid & CPR Requirements: Construction Guide OSHA Chemical Storage Requirements Complete Guide

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1926.50

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29 CFR 1926.501

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29 CFR 1910.1200

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Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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