In Washington, a serious Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) violation 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 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH), under WAC 296-803 (general industry); construction governed by WAC 296-155-429 rather than 29 CFR 1910.147.
29 CFR 1910.147 · Washington
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements in Washington
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) in Washington: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.147, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
WashingtonGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)State Plan: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH)
29 CFR 1910.147 does not apply to construction work. In Washington, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) enforces the state's own rule on this subject, WAC 296-803 (general industry); construction governed by WAC 296-155-429. 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
2.8
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Washington, 2024 (BLS)
What Washington's own rule says
“Exemption: This chapter does not apply to: 1. Construction activities covered by chapter 296-155 WAC, Safety standards for construction work.”
Washington's lockout/tagout chapter carries the same construction carve-out as the federal standard, so the jurisdictional trap is identical on both sides of the state line: 296-803 no more applies to a jobsite than 1910.147 does. Control of hazardous energy on Washington construction work runs through WAC 296-155-429, and its own note treats procedures written to 296-803 as compliant provided they address the electrical hazards in Part I and meet that part's training requirements.
WAC 296-803 (general industry); construction governed by WAC 296-155-429The duty matches the federal text. Only the citation number differs.
Contact incidents and work deaths in Washington, 2024
Washington recorded 102 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 97 in 2023. Contact incidents caused 10 of them (10%). Construction accounted for 16.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Washington, 2024
How Washington Enforces Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
Washington runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Washington's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is WAC 296-803 (general industry); construction governed by WAC 296-155-429. Washington applies 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 Washington 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.
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Help and oversight in Washington
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Washington, the program is Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Washington Department of Labor & Industries). 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.
Washington consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Washington Penalty Amounts for Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) (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) |
Washington applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
Key Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Requirements Under the Federal Standard 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 Washington: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) 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 $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)).
Washington Safety & Enforcement Profile
5,445
FY2025 construction citations
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Washington, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (348), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (312) and Residential Remodelers (255), out of 2,083 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Washington, 2024: 6.3 per 100,000 full-time workers, 36th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 2.8).
- Washington's outdoor heat exposure rule (WAC 296-62-095 through 296-62-09560) applies to all employers with employees performing work in an outdoor environment. It has been in force since July 5, 2008, and was last amended effective July 17, 2023. (WAC 296-62-09510 (WSR 08-12-109; WSR 23-14-042))
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 Washington
Which Washington industries most often face a Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspection?
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) inspections reach general-industry employers in Washington, not the construction trades. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) 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 Washington?
29 CFR 1910.147 is enforced against general-industry employers in Washington, so the construction citation totals published for Washington (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 Washington require a written lockout/tagout program?
Yes. Under Chapter 296-803 WAC, employers must have an energy control program with documented procedures for the equipment serviced, employee training, and a periodic inspection of each procedure at least annually. WISHA (L&I DOSH) enforces this rather than the federal 1910.147.
Who enforces lockout/tagout in Washington?
WISHA, Washington's OSHA-approved State Plan, enforced by L&I's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Washington enforces energy control under Chapter 296-803 WAC.
Can I get free OSHA help in Washington without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Washington is Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Washington Department of Labor & Industries). 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
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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 Washington
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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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
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