Occupational Safety and Health Administration Logs

OSHA regulations pertaining to ear rings/piercings?

Where do I find out if there are laws regarding the wearing of ear jewelry (or even body jewelry in general) with regard to OSHA? I live in the state of Michigan.

Public Comments

1. I don't think there are any regulations other than if they are loose fitting. If you are in a job in which wearing jewelry would cause a safety concern then there may be regulations on the length of jewelry. you can check at OHSA's home page http://www.osha.gov/comp-links.html
2. Michigan runs a state administered OSH program, but MI-OSHA doesn't have any specific regulations regarding jewelry. However many factories have been creating safety policies that forbid the wearing of jewelry on the manufacturing floor because they pose a potential for being caught in machinery. Rings and earrings caught in machinery have contributed to many industrial accidents, so that is a legitimate cause for concern. There is also a concern for wearing jewelry around food processing machinery but that is less for safety and more to reduce the potential for contamination. Places that do metal plating or that work with nickel or manufacture stainless steel tend to discourage their employees from having piercings or body jewelry because the employee runs the risk of sensitivity to the metal over time (nickel is the most common) and that would be an occupational exposure. So while OSHA may not regulate jewelry in the workplace, many companies who have a "beyond compliance" safety culture may prohibit employees from wearing jewelry out of concern for their employees.