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OSHA jurisdiction over injuries to members of the public

Summary A person asked OSHA for help with an injury claim involving a moving company. OSHA said its statute addresses employer duties to employees at work, not injuries to members of the public caused by employee actions, and that the Department of Transportation regulates most over-the-road transport safety. It said it could not assist with that claim.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1993-05-18
Date issued
May 18, 1993
Status
Active
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety Coverage Jurisdiction Transportation
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

May 18, 1993

Mr. Henry J. Garbar
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Garbar:

This is in response to your letter of May 1, to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), regarding your personal injury claim against North American Van Lines.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA is responsible for ensuring that employers provide safe and healthful working conditions to their employees. OSHA has no statutory authority, however, over injuries that may occur to members of the public because of employee actions. In addition, the Department of Transportation, not OSHA, regulates most aspects of safety for over-the-road transport.

We regret that because of these limitations, we cannot be of assistance to you in this matter. Your best recourse may be to seek legal counsel regarding your personal injury claim.

Sincerely,

Raymond E. Donnelly, Director
Office of General Industry Compliance Assistance

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