Editorial Standards & Methodology
SafetyFolio exists to make written safety programs and OSHA documentation easier for small contractors to understand and produce. Crews work under the procedures our readers put on paper, so we hold our content to a clear standard for sourcing, accuracy, and honesty. This page explains exactly how we work.
Last reviewed August 13, 2026. We review this policy at least twice a year.
Our commitment in one sentence
We organize and explain publicly available OSHA standards and safety program requirements accurately, cite the standard or agency behind each statement, and never invent a rule, a penalty figure, a statistic, a credential, or a person.
Where our information comes from
Workplace safety in the United States is governed by written federal standards and by the states that run their own OSHA-approved plans, so those official materials are our primary sources. When we describe a requirement, we work from the material that actually governs it:
- The OSHA standards themselves as published in the Code of Federal Regulations, primarily 29 CFR Part 1926 for construction and 29 CFR Part 1910 for general industry.
- OSHA letters of interpretation, directives, fact sheets, and published guidance, including OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.
- The websites of OSHA-approved state plans, which can adopt standards that are stricter than or different from federal OSHA.
- NIOSH research and publications on hazards and controls, used as the research layer behind plain-language explanations.
Where a claim depends on an outside source, we link to a primary reference, favoring official .gov pages so you can read the standard at its source and confirm it yourself.
How we handle facts that vary or change
Safety requirements are not one national list. Twenty-one states run their own OSHA-approved plans covering private employers, standards are revised, penalty amounts adjust over time, and what a compliance officer cites depends on the facts of a specific worksite. Rather than print a single answer that would be wrong somewhere, we mark a state's specific requirements as verified only when we have read them directly from that state agency's official source. Where we have not verified a specific detail, our guides and tools give you an honest framework and the exact questions to ask OSHA or your state plan agency instead of a guess dressed up as a fact.
Who writes and reviews our content
Our articles are researched, written, and edited by the SafetyFolio Editorial Team, a group of writers and researchers who focus on written safety programs, OSHA documentation, and small-contractor compliance. Every article carries this team byline and a published or updated date.
We are deliberate about what we are not. We are not attorneys, certified safety professionals, industrial hygienists, or OSHA compliance officers, and we do not publish content under invented expert names or fabricated professional credentials. When a decision calls for professional judgment, such as engineering controls for a high-hazard operation or responding to a citation, we say so and point you to a qualified safety professional, a licensed attorney, or the relevant agency instead of pretending to be one.
How we keep content current
Each article shows when it was published and, when applicable, when it was last updated. We revisit content on a rolling basis and when we learn that a standard, an interpretation, or a state plan requirement has changed. Rules still move faster than any publisher can track perfectly, so a date on this site tells you when we last reviewed a page, not that a standard has not changed since. Always confirm current requirements with OSHA or your state plan agency before you act.
Corrections and feedback
If you spot something that looks out of date or wrong, tell us and we will check it against the source and fix it promptly. Accurate content is more valuable to us than being right the first time, and reader corrections make this resource better for the next contractor.
Email corrections to team@safetyfolio.com with the page URL and what you believe should change.
What we will never publish
- Invented facts, made-up statistics, or citations to standards that do not say what we claim.
- State-specific requirements, penalty figures, or agency procedures that we have not confirmed at the official source.
- Guarantees that a written program will pass an inspection, prevent a citation, or satisfy any compliance officer.
- Content that suggests we inspect worksites, speak to OSHA on your behalf, or represent you in an enforcement action.
- Fabricated contractor testimonials, success stories, reviews, or ratings.
Independence and how we pay for this
SafetyFolio is an independent information publisher and documentation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of OSHA, the U.S. Department of Labor, NIOSH, or any state agency, and we do not accept payment from anyone in exchange for coverage. Our free tools, articles, and toolbox talk library are supported by our paid $299 Written Safety Program and the optional Safety Membership that keeps it current. Buying either is never required to read our free content, and a purchase never changes what any agency requires or decides.
Related
Read more about who we are on our About page, review our full disclaimer, or browse our 1796 published articles.
Disclaimer: SafetyFolio is a safety documentation tool, not a safety consulting service. It does not replace professional safety expertise. Consult qualified safety professionals for complex or high-hazard operations.