Federal Law The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) covers most private sector employers and workers, either directly through federal OSHA or through an OSHA-approved state plan. State plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states instead of federal OSHA. OSHA approves and monitors all state plans. State plans must set workplace safety and health standards that are at least as effective as OSHA standards. Many state plans adopt standards identical to OSHA. State plans have the option to promulgate standards covering hazards not addressed by OSHA standards. A state plan must conduct inspections to enforce its standards, cover state and local government workers, and operate occupational safety and health training and education programs.