In Delaware, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1910.147 · Delaware
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements in Delaware
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) in Delaware: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.147, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
DelawareGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
29 CFR 1910.147 does not apply to construction work. In Delaware, federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR 1910.147. The federal maximum for a serious violation is $16,550.
$16,550
federal maximum for a serious violation
$165,514
federal maximum for a willful or repeat violation
2.0
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Delaware, 2024 (BLS)
Contact incidents and work deaths in Delaware, 2024
Delaware recorded 10 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 11 in 2023. BLS did not publish a separate 2024 count of deaths from contact incidents for Delaware. Construction accounted for 1.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Delaware, 2024
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Cases in Delaware
Perdue Farms Incorporated
$12,934 finalMilford, Delaware - poultry processing amputation · 2017
On October 28, 2017, an employee adjusting a Bliss Box device caught his work glove between the chain sprocket and gear; his hand was pulled in and he lost his ring and middle fingers to the first knuckle and the tip of his index finger. OSHA cited 1910.147(c)(6)(i), the periodic inspection of the energy control procedure, which must be carried out at least annually by an authorized employee other than the one using the procedure, with a related 1910.147(f)(1) item. The case closed at $12,934.
OSHA inspection 1273723.015 (Referral) - OSHA Establishment SearchHow Delaware Enforces 29 CFR 1910.147
Delaware has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1910.147 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
29 CFR 1910.147 is a general-industry standard and does not govern construction work. “This standard does not cover the following: (A) Construction and agriculture employment”. Branding a construction program “1910.147 compliant” cites the wrong standard. Unlike confined spaces, Part 1926 has no wholesale re-enactment of 1910.147: construction energy-control duties are spread across hazard-specific provisions, so no single construction equivalent is named here. A Delaware contractor auditing against 29 CFR 1910.147 is auditing against the wrong standard. The citation an officer writes on a construction site will name the 1926 provision, not this one.
Help and oversight in Delaware
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Delaware, the program is Office of Safety and Health Consultation (Delaware Department of Labor – Division of Industrial Affairs). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Wilmington Area Office (Wilmington).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Delaware Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.147 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,550 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Willful | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Repeat | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Failure to abate | $16,550/day | up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6) |
Delaware applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Federal OSHA reduces the proposed penalty for employer size, good faith and history (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch. 6). There was no inflation increase for 2026: the 2025 amounts remain in effect (OMB Memo M-26-11).
Key Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements 29 CFR 1910.147
- Develop machine-specific energy control procedures
- Train authorized, affected, and other employees
- Use standardized lockout/tagout devices
- Follow the 6-step LOTO sequence
- Conduct annual periodic inspections of procedures
- Coordinate group lockout for multi-employee servicing
Who enforces it in Delaware: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Delaware has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1910.147 are on the 29 CFR 1910.147 page.
What a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Violation Looks Like
Each item below breaches a specific paragraph of 29 CFR 1910.147. It is a list of requirements, not a ranking. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- No documented, machine-specific energy control procedures (1910.147(c)(4)).
- Failure to conduct the required at-least-annual periodic inspection of procedures (1910.147(c)(6)).
- Authorized/affected employees not trained (or retrained after changes) (1910.147(c)(7)).
- Stored or residual energy not released or restrained before servicing (1910.147(d)(5)).
- No verification of de-energization/isolation before work begins (1910.147(d)(6)).
Delaware Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
354 of them in Delaware (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Delaware, FY2025: Framing Contractors (53), Roofing Contractors (42) and Masonry Contractors (12), out of 187 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Fatal injury rate in Delaware, 2024: 2.0 per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries. BLS did not publish a 2024 construction rate here.
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Compliance Tools
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) FAQ for Delaware
Which Delaware industries most often face a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspection?
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspections reach general-industry employers in Delaware, not the construction trades. Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Delaware has no state plan covering the private sector. A construction employer is not governed by 29 CFR 1910.147, and the construction-side duties on this subject are not concentrated in a single standard. Check your Part 1926 obligations instead.
How often is Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) cited in Delaware?
29 CFR 1910.147 is enforced against general-industry employers in Delaware, so the construction citation totals published for Delaware (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23) do not measure it. “This standard does not cover the following: (A) Construction and agriculture employment”. Branding a construction program “1910.147 compliant” cites the wrong standard. Unlike confined spaces, Part 1926 has no wholesale re-enactment of 1910.147: construction energy-control duties are spread across hazard-specific provisions, so no single construction equivalent is named here. A construction employer is not governed by 29 CFR 1910.147, and the construction-side duties on this subject are not concentrated in a single standard. Check your Part 1926 obligations instead.
Who enforces lockout/tagout in Delaware?
Federal OSHA, not a state agency. Delaware has no state plan, so federal compliance officers from OSHA's Philadelphia region inspect and cite 1910.147.
Can I get free OSHA help in Delaware without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Delaware is Office of Safety and Health Consultation (Delaware Department of Labor – Division of Industrial Affairs). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Related standards
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) in Other States
7 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.147 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
California8 CCR §3314 (applied to all employments by §3202(a))own maxHawaii29 CFR 1910.147 as incorporated by HAR §12-60-50(a), with §12-60-4 and §12-60-6Indiana29 CFR 1910.147 as applied in Indiana; review by the board of safety review, not OSHRCown maxKentucky803 KAR 2:309, Section 3own maxMinnesotaMinn. R. 5207.0600Nevada29 CFR 1910.147 as applied in Nevada, with NRS 618.383UtahUtah Admin. Code R614-1-5.D.6.bown maxAlabama
Other OSHA Standards in Delaware
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
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