WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740 · Washington · FY2020 to FY2026
Stairways in Washington: OSHA citations under WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740, FY2020 to FY2026
110 citation items at inspected sites in Washington, from 101 inspections.
From Oct 1, 2019 to Sep 30, 2026, the Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data record 110 citation items under WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740 at inspected sites in Washington, from 101 inspections, issued between October 2019 and September 2026. They fall in FY2020, FY2021, FY2022, FY2023, FY2024, FY2025 and FY2026. 9 of the 101 cases have no close date in the data yet. These counts describe inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
The Washington State Plan office writes its citations under Washington rule numbers, not 29 CFR numbers: in FY2025 and FY2026, all 24,742 items it recorded carry a WAC number. For stairways, Washington's own text is WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740, so this page counts the items under them. No item in the data carries 29 CFR 1910.25 in Washington.
What Washington's own rule says about stairways
Washington prints these rules in chapter 296-800 WAC, Stairs and stairways, and chapter 296-24 WAC, Part J-1. The sentences below are copied word for word from the text published by the Washington State Legislature, read on Oct 21, 2026.
(2)
“You must make sure that stairs with four or more risers have: (a) Railings on the open sides of all exposed stairways and stair platforms. (b) Handrails on at least one side of closed stairways, preferably on the right side while descending.”
Read WAC 296-800-25010 on app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
(1)
“You must make sure stairways less than forty-four inches wide have: (a) At least one handrail, preferably on your right side as you go down the stairs, if both sides are enclosed; or (b) At least one stair railing on the open side, if one side is open; or (c) One stair railing on each side, if both sides are open.”
Read WAC 296-800-25015 on app.leg.wa.gov (opens in a new tab)
The federal text on the same subject is 29 CFR 1910.25.
Citations on stairways in Washington by fiscal year
| Fiscal year (Oct to Sep) | Under WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740 |
|---|---|
| FY2020 | 7 |
| FY2021 | 10 |
| FY2022 | 15 |
| FY2023 | 11 |
| FY2024 | 18 |
| FY2025 | 27 |
| FY2026 (to date) | 22 |
The most items fall in FY2025 (27). WAC 296-800-25015, Provide handrails and stair railings, accounts for 40 of the 110 items under WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740 (36%). WAC 296-800-25010(2) is the paragraph cited most: 22 of the 110 items under WAC 296-800-250 and 296-24-740 (20%).
Washington sections cited for stairways
| Section | Title | Items | Paragraphs cited |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAC 296-800-25015 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Provide handrails and stair railings | 40 | whole section: 40 |
| WAC 296-800-25010 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Provide stairs that minimize hazards | 32 | (2): 22; (1): 9; (3): 1 |
| WAC 296-24-74015 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Handrail, stair rail, and guardrail system requirements | 17 | (1): 8; (6): 5; (2): 3; (4): 1 |
| WAC 296-800-25005 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Provide fixed stairs where required | 8 | whole section: 8 |
| WAC 296-24-74010 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Standard stairs | 7 | (2): 4; (3): 2; (4): 1 |
| WAC 296-24-74005 (official text, opens in a new tab) | General requirements for all stairs | 5 | (3): 1; (2): 1; (4): 1; (7): 1 |
| WAC 296-24-74030 (official text, opens in a new tab) | Alternating tread-type stairs | 1 | (1): 1 |
Of the 110 citation items, the data classify 1 repeat item, 66 serious items and 43 other-than-serious items.
The 101 inspections behind the Washington items
63% of the 101 inspections with a recorded headcount were at sites with 1 to 10 employees. The headcount is the inspected site's, not the employer's total.
| 1 to 10 | 64 |
| 11 to 25 | 20 |
| 26 to 100 | 11 |
| 101 to 250 | 4 |
| 251 to 1,000 | 2 |
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 29 |
| Building Material and Supplies Dealers | 5 |
| Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers | 3 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 3 |
| Grocery and Convenience Retailers | 3 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 3 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 3 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 3 |
The 12 most recent inspections
| Issued | Items | Paragraphs | Employees at the site | Industry (NAICS) | Office | Case closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1 serious item | WAC 296-800-25010(2) | 1 to 10 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | State Plan | Not yet |
| September 2026 | 1 serious item | WAC 296-800-25015 | 1 to 10 | Performing Arts Companies | State Plan | Not yet |
| September 2026 | 1 serious item | WAC 296-24-74010(3) | 26 to 100 | Waste Collection | State Plan | Not yet |
| September 2026 | 2 other-than-serious items | WAC 296-24-74015(1), WAC 296-24-74015(2) | 1 to 10 | Automotive Repair and Maintenance | State Plan | Not yet |
| August 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-24-74005(4) | 26 to 100 | Other Food Manufacturing | State Plan | Not yet |
| July 2026 | 3 serious items | WAC 296-24-74010(2), WAC 296-24-74010(3), WAC 296-24-74015(1) | 11 to 25 | Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities | State Plan | Not yet |
| May 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-800-25010(2) | 26 to 100 | Building Material and Supplies Dealers | State Plan | July 2026 |
| April 2026 | 1 serious item | WAC 296-800-25015 | 1 to 10 | Automotive Repair and Maintenance | State Plan | August 2026 |
| April 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-24-74015(6) | 1 to 10 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | State Plan | July 2026 |
| April 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-800-25005 | 11 to 25 | General Freight Trucking | State Plan | August 2026 |
| April 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-24-74010(2) | 26 to 100 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | State Plan | Not yet |
| March 2026 | 1 other-than-serious item | WAC 296-24-74015(6) | 1 to 10 | Automotive Repair and Maintenance | State Plan | June 2026 |
Who enforced in Washington
Washington has an OSHA-approved State Plan that ordinarily covers private-sector employers and state and local government workers. All 110 items were recorded by the State Plan's office. OSHA's page on the Washington State Plan, with its coverage.
Next steps for a Washington employer
- Federal text of the standard: 29 CFR 1910.25
- Free tool: Inspection Action Plan
- Free tool: OSHA Fine Calculator
- Software: HazComFast EHS software
- Penalty maximums: OSHA penalties in Washington
Counted by HazComFast from Department of Labor OSHA data extracted Oct 20, 2026, deleted items left out; not a figure OSHA publishes. The Labor Department adds citations with a delay, so FY2026 is still incomplete and the live database can change any count. The rule text was read on Oct 21, 2026 in the publication of the Washington State Legislature. Method. Not legal advice.