In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation in 2026, rising to $70,000 for a willful or repeat violation. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is enforced for private construction employers by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA). Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline.
29 CFR 1910.147 · Tennessee
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements in Tennessee
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) in Tennessee: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.147, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
TennesseeGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)State Plan: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)State-set maximums
29 CFR 1910.147 does not apply to construction work. In Tennessee, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) enforces 29 CFR 1910.147. A serious violation carries up to $7,000 in Tennessee.
$7,000
maximum for a serious violation in Tennessee
$70,000
maximum for a willful or repeat violation in Tennessee
5.1
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Tennessee, 2024 (BLS)
Tennessee 29 CFR 1910.147 Enforcement, FY2025
Verified · 2026-08-086
citations of 29 CFR 1910.147 (FY2025)
$2,600
penalties for this standard
0.5%
of the state's 1,249 construction citations
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) 6 times on Tennessee construction jobsites with $2,600 in penalties for it (current amounts), about 0.5% of every construction citation the state issued that year. That put it 34th on Tennessee's most-cited construction list for FY2025.
What Tennessee's own rule says
Lockout/tagout applies in Tennessee as adopted federal text, which carries the federal construction exclusion with it. Two features of Tennessee's adoption are worth knowing before an inspection: the chapter states the version adopted rather than pointing at the current CFR, and the exceptions rule at 0800-1-1-.07 lists exactly which federal sections were not taken up (1910.1 to 1910.4, 1910.15 and 1910.16). Anything outside that list is in force as federal language.
29 CFR 1910.147 as adopted by 0800-1-1-.06The duty matches the federal text. Only the citation number differs.
Contact incidents and work deaths in Tennessee, 2024
Tennessee recorded 155 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 164 in 2023. Contact incidents caused 30 of them (19%). Construction accounted for 29.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Tennessee, 2024
How Tennessee Enforces 29 CFR 1910.147
Tennessee runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Tennessee's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is 29 CFR 1910.147 as adopted by 0800-1-1-.06. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.147 6 times in Tennessee construction in FY2025 (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Tennessee also sets its own civil-penalty maximums, below the federal baseline (see the penalty table below).
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 Tennessee 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.
HazComFast records the state of every jobsite and shows that the Tennessee State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Tennessee
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Tennessee, the program is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). 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.
Tennessee consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Tennessee Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.147 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $7,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Willful | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Repeat | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Failure to abate | State schedule | Tennessee publishes its own failure-to-abate amount; see the state schedule |
Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
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 Tennessee: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) can add requirements beyond the federal standard above, so check its own rules as well.
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 $7,000.
- 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)).
Tennessee Safety & Enforcement Profile
1,249
FY2025 construction citations
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Tennessee, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (77), Framing Contractors (48) and Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (37), out of 439 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Tennessee, 2024: 10.2 per 100,000 full-time workers, 14th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 5.1).
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 Tennessee
What are the penalties for 29 CFR 1910.147 violations in Tennessee in 2026?
In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.147 carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation, and a willful or repeat violation up to $70,000. Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline. Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Each distinct violation can be cited as its own item. (Source: T.C.A. §50-3-403; verified 2026-10-05.)
Which Tennessee industries most often face a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspection?
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspections reach general-industry employers in Tennessee, not the construction trades. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. 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 Tennessee?
29 CFR 1910.147 is enforced against general-industry employers in Tennessee, so the construction citation totals published for Tennessee (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 TOSHA require a written lockout/tagout program in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee, TOSHA, the state's own OSHA program, can cite the missing program, missing machine-specific steps, or the failure to isolate stored energy before service.
Who enforces lockout/tagout (1910.147) in Tennessee?
TOSHA, the Tennessee OSHA program. Tennessee runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer inspects and cites 1910.147 on private jobsites.
Can I get free OSHA help in Tennessee without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Tennessee is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). 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 Tennessee cite 29 CFR 1910.147 in construction?
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) 6 times on Tennessee construction jobsites, with $2,600 in penalties for that standard alone (current amounts), about 0.5% of the 1,249 construction citations the state issued that year. (Source: OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23; verified 2026-08-08.)
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 Tennessee
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.
Get the Binder in Order Before the Inspector Arrives. Are You Ready?
OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
Serious violation, Tennessee
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