FACT SHEET

Safety in Semiconductor
Manufacturing

Semiconductors are used in a variety of devices that support everyday life

including personal computers, smartphones, and cars. The semiconductor
manufacturing industry has greatly expanded and changed over the last 70 years,
implementing many technological advancements. The rapid pace of change in the
industry, including the manufacturing processes, means that hazards change in
the workplace periodically. While many of the historic health risks are addressed
by specific OSHA standards, the pace of change in this industry requires vigilance
to keep hazard assessments and workplace controls current.

Safety by Design
Designing manufacturing processes to avoid or
reduce workplace hazards early in a process
adoption or a process change is one of the best
ways to prevent injuries and illnesses. It is critical
for controls to be addressed in the initial design
and construction phases and implemented
through a change management process as
manufacturing processes and technology evolve.
See the NIOSH webpage Prevention through
Design for additional information.

Safety and Health Management Systems

workplaces, worker participation may include a
Establishing a safety and health management
safety committee that can be used to bring
system (SHMS) (sometimes referred to as a safety
workers and management together to identify
program) a safety program) is an effective way to
issues and find solutions. When contractors are
protect workers by assessing hazards,
working in the facility, it is important the employer
implementing controls that result in reducing the
and contractor consider how their work and
risk of injury and illness. A SHMS can prevent
safety activities can affect the safety of other
workplace injuries and illnesses by finding and
employers and workers. See the Recommended
fixing workplace hazards before they cause injury
Practices for Safety and Health Programs
and illness to workers. To be effective, a SHMS
webpage for additional information on
must have meaningful employer and worker
implementing a successful SHMS.
engagement and participation. In many

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Industry Hazards
A wide range of hazards are present in the Process Safety Management of Highly
semiconductor industry. Different types of Hazardous Chemicals standard. Byproducts of
hazards may occur during research and the semiconductor manufacturing process can
development, facility construction, facility create a complex mixture of wastes including
operations, front-end processes (wafer possible combustible dust hazards. Additional
processing), and back-end processing information can be found in the OSHA Safety
(assembly and test), and equipment and Health Topic Pages for several of the
maintenance. Additional information can be chemical hazards commonly encountered in the
found in the OSHA Safety and Health Topic industry.
Pages for several of the industry hazards.
• Chemicals
▪ Hazardous Energy ▪ Solvents
▪ Robotics ▪ Carcinogens
▪ Radiation ▪ Reproductive Toxins
▪ Ergonomics ▪ Combustible Dusts
▪ Lasers ▪ Arsenic
▪ Electrical ▪ Dermal Exposures
▪ Slips/Falls ▪ Lead
▪ Falls from Heights ▪ Toxic Metals
▪ Confined Spaces ▪ Process Safety Management
▪ Noise
▪ Powered Industrial Trucks - Forklifts Chemical Exposures
▪ Hazardous Waste Many of the chemicals used in the industry have
▪ Hand and Power Tools been introduced relatively recently. For these
▪ Extended or Irregular Shifts chemicals, there may be limited toxicological
▪ Moving Machine Parts information available and no established OSHA
permissible exposure limit (PEL). For chemicals
Chemical Hazards with an established PEL, the PEL may be
The semiconductor industry uses hundreds of outdated and inadequate for ensuring protection
chemicals, many in significant quantities. The of worker health. In these cases, employers are
chemicals used can pose a wide range of health encouraged to adhere to more protective
hazards (such as carcinogenic, reproductive, alternative occupational exposure limits that are
and sensitization) as well as physical hazards developed by technical, professional, industrial,
(such as flammability, corrosivity, reactivity, and/or government organizations, some of
pyrophoricity). Proper storage, use, handling, which appear in the OSHA Permissible Exposure
and disposal is necessary to control the physical Limits – Annotated Tables.
and health hazards. Workers should be properly
trained, and information about the chemical For chemicals without occupational exposure
hazards must be made available as required by limits, Occupational Exposure Banding and
OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard. A Control Banding can be used in conjunction with
comprehensive management program the Hierarchy of Controls to manage risks and
integrating technologies, procedures, and prevent exposures to hazardous chemicals.
management practices may be required by the

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Adverse Reproductive Effects ▪ Process automation
Historically, the industry had a statistically ▪ Process enclosures
significant association between fabrication ▪ Lockout-tagout (LOTO) / emergency machine
workers and adverse reproductive health off (EMO)
effects.1 2 While the exposure environment in a ▪ Radiation shielding/encapsulation
modern fabrication plant is different, due to ▪ Continuous gas detection
changes in the chemicals and manufacturing ▪ Liquid leak detection
processes, reproductive toxins are still present ▪ Emergency power
and exposures should be minimized through the ▪ Exhaust/waste treatment and segregation
Hierarchy of Controls. ▪ Automated and exhausted gas dispensing
cabinets
Hazard Controls ▪ Localized/point of use incineration of
Controls should be implemented according to pyrophoric chemical exhaust
the Hierarchy of Controls. Manufacturing ▪ Coaxial piping of toxic/highly toxic gasses
processes can be designed to avoid or limit ▪ Chemical use area ventilation
chemical hazards by choosing safer chemicals ▪ Designation of Hazardous Production
when available. OSHA’s Transitioning to Safer Material and emergency exit access corridors
Chemicals Toolkit is a step-by-step resource ▪ Fire detection/suppression systems
with information, methods, tools, and guidance ▪ Emergency shower and/or shower facilities
for employers and workers to proactively ▪ Automatic sprinkler in exhaust ducts
eliminate or reduce chemical hazards at the ▪ Emergency alarm systems
source through informed substitution. When a ▪ Automatic gas supply shut offs (based on
manufacturing process does involve hazardous continuous gas detection)
chemicals, the most effective method to ▪ Separate chemical storage areas,
eliminate or reduce hazards to workers is to designated transportation corridors
control the hazards at the source, for example ▪ Effluent process exhaust scrubbers
through engineering controls such as those ▪ Fire resistance rating
described above. Personal Protective Equipment ▪ Subatmospheric gas sources
(PPE) such as respirators and dermal protection
Training
may also be necessary in some processes.
Education and training are important tools for
The semiconductor industry implements a wide informing workers, managers, temporary
variety of industry-specific controls, often employees, and contractors about workplace
required by building and/or fire codes (e.g., hazards and controls. Training requirements vary
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 318 in the semiconductor industry, depending on the
Standard for the Protection of Semiconductor work being performed. Training may be required
Fabrication Facilities, International Fire Code by OSHA standards. Information about training
(IFC) Chapter 27 Semiconductor Fabrication requirements and training resources for specific
Facilities). Common engineering controls often hazards can be found on OSHA’s website.
designed into and used in the industry include: ▪ Hazard Communication
▪ Personal Protective Equipment

1
Choi KH, Kim H, Kim MH, Kwon HJ. Semiconductor Work and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Associated with Male Workers: A Retrospective
Cohort Study. Ann Work Expo Health. 2019;63(8):870-880. doi:10.1093/annweh/wxz061
2
Kim H, Kwon HJ, Rhie J, et al. The relationship between spontaneous abortion and female workers in the semiconductor industry. Ann Occup
Environ Med. 2017;29:49. Published 2017 Oct 9. doi:10.1186/s40557-017-0204-x
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▪ Respiratory Protection • International Fire Code (IFC) Chapter 27 –
▪ Powered Industrial Truck provides recognized good practices for life
▪ Substance-specific health standards safety and property protection from
(example: Arsenic, Lead) hazardous materials used in semiconductor
▪ Fall Protection fabrication facilities.
▪ Hazardous Waste Operations and • SEMI Safety Guidelines – SEMI is an industry
Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) association that has guidelines available for
▪ Emergency Action Plan purchase that relate to the safe design,
▪ First-Aid/Bloodborne pathogens installation, use, and demolition of
▪ Electrical Safety semiconductor equipment and facilities.
▪ Control of Hazardous Energy These include: SEMI S2 Environmental,
(Lockout/Tagout) Health, and Safety Guideline for
▪ Ergonomics Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment,
▪ Confined Space Entry S8 Safety Guideline for Ergonomics
▪ Radiation Safety Engineering of Semiconductor
▪ Fire Prevention Manufacturing Equipment, S10 Safety
Guideline for Risk Assessment and Risk
The OSHA publication Training Requirements in Evaluation Process, S12 Environmental
OSHA Standards provides a general overview of Health and Safety Guideline for
the training requirements in specific OSHA Manufacturing Equipment Decontamination,
standards. S16 Guide for Semiconductor Manufacturing
Equipment Design for Reduction of
EPA Requirements and Consensus/ Environmental Impact at End of Life, and S21
Industry Standards and Programs Safety Guideline for Worker Protection.
EPA requirements as well as industry and
• Toward Zero Exposure – A commitment
consensus standards address hazards in the
program from the Clean Electronics
semiconductor industry:
Production Network with signatory
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: National electronics companies taking action to
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air protect workers from hazardous chemicals
Pollutants (NESHAP) – EPA’s final rule for in the electronics supply chain by assessing
hazardous air pollutants for semiconductor the use of process chemicals, strengthening
manufacturing. The pollutants covered by the organization’s culture of worker safety
this rule include, but are not limited to, five and engagement, reducing worker exposures
chemicals that comprise over 90 percent of to identified priority process chemicals, and
the total HAP emissions: hydrochloric acid substituting them with safer alternatives
(HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF), glycol ethers, within their own manufacturing processes.
methanol, and xylene.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) OSHA Standards
318 Standard for the Protection of While there is not a specific OSHA standard for
Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities – semiconductor manufacturing, many of the
Provides recommended safeguards for the OSHA general industry standards apply. These
protection of semiconductor fabrication include, but are not limited to the following:
facilities and comparable research and
▪ 1910.95 Occupational Noise Exposure
development areas.
▪ 1910.106 Flammable Liquids
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 ▪ 1910.119 Process Safety Management of employers provide their employees with
Highly Hazardous Chemicals “employment and a place of employment which
▪ 1910.124 General Requirements for Dipping are free from recognized hazards that are
and Coating Operations causing or are likely to cause death or serious
▪ 1910.132 Personal Protective Equipment physical harm.” 29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1).
▪ 1910.134 Respiratory Protection
▪ 1910.147 The Control of Hazardous Energy OSHA’s role is to ensure safe and healthy
(Lockout/Tagout) conditions for America’s working people by
▪ 1910.178 Powered Industrial Trucks setting and enforcing standards, and providing
▪ 1910.212 Machinery and Machine Guarding training, education, and assistance. For more
▪ 1910.331-335 Electrical information, visit [Link].
▪ 1910.1000 Air Contaminants
There are 22 OSHA-approved State Plans,
▪ 1910.1018 Inorganic Arsenic
covering both private sector and state and local
▪ 1910.1020 Access to employee exposure
government workers and seven State Plans
and medical records
covering only state and local government
▪ 1910.1025 Lead
workers. State Plans are required to have
▪ 1910.1200 Hazard Communication
standards and enforcement programs that are at
Additionally, employers must comply with the least as effective as OSHA’s and may have
General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety different or more stringent requirements.
and Health Act of 1970, which requires

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or standards. It does not impose any new compliance
requirements. For a comprehensive list of compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. The voice phone is (202) 693-1999;
teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-5627.

DTSEM/Dec. 2024

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1-800-321-OSHA (6742) | TTY 1-877-889-5627 | [Link]