In Ohio, 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 · Ohio
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements in Ohio
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) in Ohio: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.147, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
OhioGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
29 CFR 1910.147 does not apply to construction work. In Ohio, 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
3.2
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Ohio, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Ohio: 29 CFR 1910.147, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-262
citations of 29 CFR 1910.147 in 1 inspections
$14,895
penalties, current amounts ($14,895 as first proposed)
0.1%
of the 1,752 federal construction citations in Ohio
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) 2 times in inspections of Ohio construction employers. It ranked 36th of the 65 standards cited in them. By classification: 2 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1910.147(f)(3)(i) (1), 1910.147(c)(7)(i) (1).
NAICS 23 classifies the employer, not the work. 29 CFR 1910.147 does not govern construction work, so these citations do not measure what happens on construction jobsites.
Counted by HazComFast from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data (inspection and violation tables, retrieved September 26, 2026): citations issued October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 on federal OSHA inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) in the state, deleted citations excluded, penalties at current amounts. OSHA's own cited-standards tool does not break federal states out; summed over every state, this count matches it within a few citations (6,778 for 1926.501, against 6,772). data.dol.gov
What federal OSHA is targeting in Ohio
Ohio has no state OSHA plan for private-sector work, so there is no state rule to read. What differs here is which hazards federal OSHA schedules inspections for, as set out in published emphasis directives.
Regional Emphasis Program for Grain Handling Facilities
CPL 04-05-2301 · Chicago Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“The Notice applies to grain handling facilities within the jurisdiction of all Region V Area OSHA Offices.”
Grain handling is programmed across every Region V area office. It matters here because the grain handling standard, 1910.272, requires an entry permit for bins, silos and tanks unless the employer or its representative is present, and requires dangerous equipment to be locked out before entry, so a grain inspection looks at entry permits and energy control.
Contact incidents and work deaths in Ohio, 2024
Ohio recorded 165 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 164 in 2023. Contact incidents caused 28 of them (17%). Construction accounted for 23.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Ohio, 2024
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Cases in Ohio
Appalachian Wood Floors Inc.
$255,528Portsmouth, Ohio - rip-saw amputation · 2024
A 23-year-old worker suffered a partial arm amputation while troubleshooting a rip-saw whose safety device had been bypassed. OSHA found the employer failed to adequately train employees in lockout/tagout and did not require lockout when troubleshooting machines, and cited eight repeat, two serious and four other-than-serious violations for a proposed $255,528 penalty.
U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA news release, November 26, 2024How Ohio Enforces 29 CFR 1910.147
Ohio 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. An Ohio 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 Ohio
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Ohio, the program is Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OSHA On-Site Consultation Program). 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 Cincinnati Area Office (Cincinnati), the Cleveland Area Office (Independence), the Columbus Area Office (Columbus) and the Toledo Area Office (Toledo).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Ohio 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) |
Ohio 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 Ohio: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Ohio 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)).
Ohio Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
1,752 of them in Ohio (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Ohio, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (476), Framing Contractors (120) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (65), out of 1,050 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Ohio, 2024: 7.5 per 100,000 full-time workers, 34th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.2).
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 Ohio
Which Ohio industries most often face a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspection?
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspections reach general-industry employers in Ohio, not the construction trades. Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Ohio 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 Ohio?
29 CFR 1910.147 is enforced against general-industry employers in Ohio, so the construction citation totals published for Ohio (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.
Does OSHA require a written lockout/tagout program in Ohio?
Yes. 29 CFR 1910.147 requires an energy control program with documented procedures for the equipment serviced, employee training, and a periodic inspection of each procedure at least annually. In Ohio, federal OSHA can cite the missing program, missing machine-specific steps, or the failure to require lockout during troubleshooting. In the Appalachian Wood Floors case, OSHA found the employer did not require lockout when troubleshooting machines, after a worker's partial arm amputation.
Who enforces lockout/tagout (1910.147) for Ohio employers?
Federal OSHA. With no State Plan, a compliance officer from OSHA's Chicago region inspects and cites 1910.147 directly at the federal penalty maximums.
Can I get free OSHA help in Ohio without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Ohio is Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OSHA On-Site Consultation Program). 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.
How often does federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1910.147 in Ohio construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) 2 times in 1 inspections of Ohio construction employers, with $14,895 in penalties at current amounts ($14,895 as first proposed), 0.1% of the 1,752 citations those inspections produced. It ranked 36th of the 65 standards cited. NAICS 23 classifies the employer, not the work: 29 CFR 1910.147 does not govern construction work itself. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Guides & Resources
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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 Ohio
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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