OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster in Aurora, Colorado (2026)
Federal OSHA inspectors can issue a fine during a routine visit if they do not see your mandatory workplace rights poster visibly displayed. You must have the federal Job Safety and Health - It's the Law poster posted for all employees at each location in Aurora; this is enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), also known as the mandatory workplace notice. Key facts for Aurora locations:
- 14 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 12 (such as employer name, address, and posting details)
- $0–$0 government filing fees — the poster itself is provided free by OSHA
- Varies processing timeline — depends on your printing and posting schedule
Most applicants complete this in under 15 minutes with ApronPrep, which auto-fills 12 of 14 fields.
Analyzed from OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster
86% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster
The requirement to display the OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster is a direct mandate under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act). Section 8(c)(1) of the OSH Act grants OSHA the authority to require employers to post notices. While OSHA is a federal agency, its rules apply to nearly all private sector employers in all 50 states, including Colorado and the City of Aurora. The poster itself is not a form you submit for approval but a notice you must physically display in your workplace to inform employees of their rights to a safe workplace and to report injuries. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the Aurora Office of Occupational Safety do not issue a separate local version for this specific poster; they enforce compliance with the federal OSHA standard.
Failure to post this required notice is a violation of OSHA recordkeeping rules (29 CFR 1903.2(a)(1)) and can trigger significant consequences during an inspection, which can be initiated by an employee complaint, a reported incident, or a routine visit. The primary penalties include:
- Citation for a serious violation: Up to $16,131 per violation. The absence of the poster is a straightforward, easily documented violation.
- Willful violation fines: If an employer is found to have knowingly disregarded the posting requirement, fines can escalate to up to $161,323 per willful violation.
- Failure-to-abate penalties: After being cited, if the poster is not displayed by the abatement date, additional penalties of up to $16,131 per day can accrue until the violation is corrected.
- Increased scrutiny: A missing poster can signal to an OSHA inspector a lack of basic compliance, potentially leading to a more thorough and lengthy inspection of other safety practices.
- Lease and insurance implications Property managers conducting routine walk-throughs may note the violation as a lease compliance issue. More critically, worker's compensation insurers or general liability providers may view a citation for safety posting violations as an indicator of poor risk management, potentially affecting premium rates.
Legal code: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
Recent update: The poster was updated by federal OSHA in 2026 to reflect new reporting requirements and anti-retaliation provisions; the 2026 version is the only one currently in compliance, replacing all previous editions.
Who Needs a OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required under 29 CFR 1903.2(a)(1) for any establishment with one or more employees, as virtually all full-service restaurants have employees and are engaged in a business affecting commerce. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required under OSHA regulations as a workplace with employees; the poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can see it. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required if it has any employees; the mobile nature does not exempt the business from federal OSHA posting requirements for covered employers. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required under 29 CFR 1903.2; any coffee shop with employees is considered an OSHA-covered establishment engaged in interstate commerce. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (14 Fields)
12 of 14 auto-filledBusiness has employees
booleanSelect 'Yes' if your business pays one or more individuals for their work, including full-time, part-time, and temporary staff, as OSHA's requirement to display the poster applies to all employers with employees.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have any paid staff, including family members or owners on payroll, which would be a non-compliance error during an OSHA inspection.
Total number of employees
numberEnter the total count of all individuals employed at the primary address listed, counting all staff on payroll at the time of application, not including independent contractors.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering a count that includes non-employees (like contractors) or entering '0' when you have employees, which creates a data mismatch for compliance verification.
Primary workplace address
addressEnter the complete street address, city, state, and ZIP code where the majority of your employees work and where the OSHA poster will be primarily displayed, matching the address on your business license.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using a P.O. Box, home address, or corporate headquarters address instead of the physical work location where employees report daily, which fails the workplace-specific posting requirement.
Has multiple work locations
booleanSelect 'Yes' if you operate or have employees working at any other business address besides the primary one listed, such as a separate kitchen, warehouse, or satellite office.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have staff working at a secondary location (e.g., a prep kitchen or catering base), which would mean you are under-reporting your posting obligations.
Additional workplace locations
textList the full addresses of all other work sites where employees regularly perform duties, separated by commas or semicolons, as a separate poster is required at each establishment if employees work there.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank when 'Has multiple work locations' is 'Yes,' or listing locations where no employees actually work, which leads to incomplete compliance documentation.
Spanish version needed
booleanSelect 'Yes' if any of your employees' primary spoken language is Spanish, as OSHA requires the poster to be displayed in a language employees understand under 29 CFR 1903.2(a)(1).
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'No' when you have Spanish-speaking staff, which violates OSHA's language accessibility rules and can trigger a violation notice during an inspection.
Other language requirements
textList any other primary languages spoken by your workforce (e.g., 'Vietnamese,' 'Mandarin'), as OSHA may require you to provide the poster in those languages if a significant portion of employees do not understand English.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering 'None' or leaving blank when you have a multilingual workforce, which is a common oversight that can lead to non-compliance citations for failing to ensure worker comprehension.
Poster downloaded from OSHA website
booleanSelect 'Yes' only after you have successfully obtained the current 2026 version of the 'Job Safety and Health - It's the Law' poster (OSHA 3165) from the official OSHA.gov publications page.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' before actually downloading the poster or downloading an outdated version, which does not fulfill the legal requirement to display the current mandatory notice.
Poster printed
booleanSelect 'Yes' only after you have physically printed the downloaded poster at the required size (at least 8.5 x 11 inches) on durable paper or material for display.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' when the poster is only saved digitally or printed at an incorrect size, which means it is not yet ready for compliant posting as required by 29 CFR 1903.2.
Where poster will be displayed
textDescribe the specific, conspicuous location where the poster will be placed, such as 'Employee break room bulletin board,' 'Kitchen time clock area,' or 'Main hallway near staff entrance.'
COMMON MISTAKE: Providing a vague description like 'in the back' or a location not frequented by all employees (e.g., a locked office), which fails the 'conspicuous place' standard and is a common inspection finding.
ApronPrep auto-fills 12 of 14 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster Mistakes
1. Displaying an Outdated or Tampered-With Poster
Based on ApronPrep's analysis, the most common error is posting a version from before 2026, a poster with the state plan information torn off, or a copy that is faded, stained, or covered up. The consequence is an OSHA inspector citing your restaurant for a 'Failure to Abate' violation during a routine visit, which triggers mandatory follow-up inspections and can lead to significant fines if not corrected immediately. To avoid this, verify the poster has the mandatory 2026 revision date in the bottom-right corner and ensure it is posted in a prominent, clean, and accessible location where all employees can see it, such as next to time clocks or in break rooms.
2. Posting Only the Federal OSHA Poster in a State Plan State
Aurora restaurants fall under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's Division of Oil and Public Safety (State Plan), not federal OSHA. Posting the federal "OSHA3165" poster instead of the approved Colorado state plan poster is a direct violation of 29 CFR 1902. The consequence is a 'Serious' citation and a fine starting at $1,036 per violation (as of 2026), and your business will be required to immediately obtain and display the correct poster. To avoid this, download and print the official "Job Safety and Health – It’s the Law!" poster directly from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment website, not from generic online sources.
3. Failing to Post in All Required Languages
The Colorado state plan poster must be displayed in both English and Spanish if you have Spanish-speaking employees. Burying the Spanish version in a back office or not posting it at all is a frequent mistake that leads to non-compliance. The consequence is failing the employee notification requirement under the OSH Act, which an inspector can verify by interviewing staff, and results in the same penalties as not having a poster. To avoid this, post the dual-language version side-by-side with the English poster or ensure the single poster you display includes both languages, as the official Colorado version does.
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OSHA Job Safety and Health - It's the Law Poster by City in Colorado
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | ||
| Colorado Springs | ||
| Denver |
Timeline: Varies
Download or Order the Correct Poster Version
Go to the OSHA Publications website (OSHA.gov) to download the free, mandatory "Job Safety and Health: It's the Law" poster (OSHA 3165). You must use the 2026 or newer version. For a physical copy, you can order one from OSHA for a small shipping fee. The most common mistake is displaying an outdated version of the poster, which is a citable offense during an inspection.
Print and Post in a Conspicuous Location
If downloaded, print the poster on standard letter-size paper. Post it in a prominent area where all employees can see it, such as a break room, near time clocks, or a central bulletin board. For multi-language workforces, you must also display the OSHA poster in the other languages provided. In Aurora, posting near the main entrance is a common and compliant practice.
Maintain Compliance and Record-Keeping
This is not a one-time submission process. You must ensure the poster remains displayed, legible, and unobstructed at all times. There is no filing or approval step with a government agency. Your main responsibility is to keep it posted and replace it if it becomes damaged or when OSHA releases a mandatory updated version. Keep a dated record (e.g., a dated photo) of the poster's display for your internal compliance files.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in Colorado.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
Articles of Organization (LLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Corporation)
state
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsTimelines vary for this federal requirement. The 2026 OSHA Job Safety and Health poster itself is available for immediate download or ordering from federal sources. However, the compliance timeline for posting it begins from your first day of operation with employees, which often coincides with securing your City Business License/Registration. Contact the U.S. Department of Labor to confirm current processing times for printed copies.
Government filing fees for the poster are $0–$0. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides the official poster for free download or mailing. You may incur costs from a commercial printer or supplier if you choose a laminated version, but the official document itself has no fee, per the U.S. Department of Labor website. Not legal advice — verify with OSHA.
No, the poster itself is not transferable as a physical document. The federal OSHA poster requirement applies to each worksite where you have employees. If you move your restaurant, you must display an up-to-date poster at the new location. This is similar to local permitting; a new site requires new applications, such as a Certificate of Occupancy. Always display the current version from the OSHA website.
You do not renew a poster; you must replace it when the federal government issues a revised version. OSHA updates the "Job Safety and Health - It's the Law" poster periodically to reflect changes in regulations or contact information. You are responsible for ensuring the displayed poster is the current version, as posted on the OSHA website. There is no set renewal schedule, so you must monitor for official updates.
An OSHA compliance officer will verify the poster is the current 2026 (or latest) version, displayed prominently where all employees can see it (e.g., a break room or common area). Failure to post can result in a citation and fine, even if no other safety violations are found. This is a basic compliance checkpoint, much like ensuring other required labor notices, such as the Colorado COMPS Order Poster, are properly displayed.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For Colorado specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Aurora, Colorado Springs, Denver), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 14 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)
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