Trump's Approach to OSHA: What Every Funeral Home Must Do
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It doesn’t matter where you fall on the political spectrum, President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025 has created seismic shifts in compliance—much of it impacting America’s small businesses, including funeral homes.
To this point, the administration issued more than 150 executive orders—a modern‑day record. But it’s the content of those orders—plus a burst of new OSHA directives and congressional bills—that keeps owners asking, what just happened, and what do I do next?
Below are four OSHA‑related developments every funeral‑service operator should track right now.
1. Inspection Spotlight: Site‑Specific Targeting (SST)
OSHA’s brand‑new Directive CPL 02‑01‑067 (signed Apr 8, 2025 and effective May 20, 2025) expands programmed inspections for general‑industry sites that (a) have 20 or more employees and (b) show high injury rates or failed to file 300A data. Expect more knock‑and‑talk visits and fewer extensions once you’re on the list.OSHA EHS Daily Advisor
2. Electronic Recordkeeping Rules
Under OSHA’s 2023 recordkeeping update:
- 100 + employees in NAICS 812210 (funeral homes): must e‑file Forms 300, 300A, and 301 annually.
- 20–99 employees: still submit Form 300A only, and only if classified under NAICS 812210.
- Penalties follow OSHA’s standard schedule (up to $16,131 per violation in 2025); there is no special “four‑figure” floor for non‑filers. Federal Register Public Inspection
(Ask us how 99.9% of funeral homes get out of this requirement. Book a quick call.)
3. Hazard Communication Alignment (GHS Rev 7)
On May 20, 2024, OSHA issued its long‑anticipated final rule aligning the Hazard Communication Standard with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System (GHS) Revision 7, while selectively adopting provisions from Revision 8.
The timetable is staggered: chemical manufacturers and distributors must update substance SDSs and labels by January 19, 2026 and mixtures by July 19, 2027.
Funeral home employers then have six additional months to revise their written HazCom programs, workplace labels, and employee training. Key dates:
- July 20, 2026 for substances
- January 19, 2028 for mixtures
Because funeral homes routinely handle embalming fluids, disinfectants, and other regulated chemicals, they should begin collecting updated SDSs, exploring electronic safety data sheets options, confirming new hazard classifications, and refreshing staff training before the “employer” dates above.
4. Heat‑Illness Prevention Standard (Proposed)
OSHA’s heat rule remains at the proposal stage. A virtual public hearing is set for June 16, 2025; no numeric indoor temperature cap or final compliance date exists yet. Funeral homes should still map hot spots (e.g., crematory areas) and craft a written heat‑action plan, but treat any limits as proposed for now. OSHA
What To Do Next
- Speak with CST or Download a Free Checklist. Book a demo with CST to learn more about how we can handle your OSHA compliance or download our free checklist.
- Clean Up Your Logs. Verify that your 2024 Form 300A filing matches injury data; prep full logs if you’re over 99 employees.
- Modernize Your SDS Library. Replace any sheet older than 2016 and flag products needing GHS Rev 7 updates ahead of the July 2026 employer deadline.
- Refresh Staff Training. Bloodborne pathogens (annual), respirator fit-tests (annual), and HazCom refresher, including formaldehyde safety, once your labels change.
- Prepare a Heat-Illness Plan. States like California are leading the charge to protect workers from heat-related illness and we at CST provide our clients with Heat-Illness Plans. Even before the rule is final, document hydration breaks, cool-down areas, and emergency response steps.
Staying proactive beats scrambling after a citation lands. If you need help with an OSHA readiness audit or turnkey SDS management built for funeral homes, let us know—we track the rules so you can focus on families.
(Information current as of May 26 2025; not legal advice.)