What Employers Need to Know About 2026 OSHA Compliance Rules

OSHA is introducing new 2026 safety rules regarding heat injury prevention and walking-working surfaces.
Employers must maintain electronic records of workplace injuries and illnesses to comply with the agency’s expanded reporting requirements.
The agency is also increasing random inspections at high-risk facilities to ensure proper safety equipment is being used.
Failure to meet these updated standards can lead to significantly higher fines.

A 53-year-old construction laborer died on February 6, 2026, after being pinned by heavy machinery at a Flint area job site.
The worker was inside the bucket of a front-end loader with another worker, attempting to reinstall a pin on an excavator’s arm.
When the excavator started, its cab and arm rotated, trapping the victim against the loader.
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) is investigating the incident.

On February 9, 2026, a construction worker was injured after being struck by a vehicle in a work zone on Highway 34 in Wapello County, Iowa.
The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. near Munterville.
Emergency responders from the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office coordinated an airlift for the victim.
Authorities have not released the worker’s name or the extent of their injuries.