OSHA Warehousing National Emphasis Program

The program does not create new rules. It directs OSHA offices to select establishments in warehousing, storage, courier and postal NAICS codes for inspection using neutral criteria, so no complaint or injury is needed. Inspections focus on powered industrial trucks, material handling and storage, walking-working surfaces, means of egress and fire protection. A revision effective 31 July 2026 extended it to 31 July 2031, dropped some high-injury retail sites and removed mandatory heat and ergonomic screening, though those hazards can still be cited.

The emphasis program means any US fulfillment center can receive an unannounced OSHA inspection simply because of its industry code. Sites should keep forklift training records, rack inspections, clear aisles and unobstructed exits ready at all times, because those are the core checks. For example, a 3PL warehouse coded under NAICS 493110 can be selected from OSHA's list, and an inspector who finds blocked exit routes behind pallet overflow can cite it even without any injury history.

• Distribution CenterDCWarehouse that ships cases and pallets
• Fulfillment CenterFCWarehouse built for small customer orders

• OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Standard (29 CFR 1910.178)1971, amended 1998 · Forklift safety and operator training rules
• OSHA Materials Handling and Storage Standard (29 CFR 1910.176)1971 · OSHA rule on aisles, stacking and storage safety
• OSHA General Duty Clause1970 · OSHA catch-all duty to prevent recognized hazards

1. OSHA: CPL 03-00-026 National Emphasis Program on Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations osha.gov
2. OSHA: Warehousing osha.gov