In Wyoming, a serious Confined Spaces violation carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Confined Spaces is enforced for private construction employers by Wyoming OSHA, under Wyo. OSHA General Industry 1910, Chapter 10 (Subpart J); construction at Construction Chapter 27 (Subpart AA) rather than 29 CFR 1910.146.
29 CFR 1910.146 · Wyoming
Confined Spaces Requirements in Wyoming
Confined Spaces in Wyoming: 2026 penalties, who enforces Wyo. OSHA General Industry 1910, Chapter 10 (Subpart J); construction at Construction Chapter 27 (Subpart AA), the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
WyomingGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)State Plan: Wyoming OSHA
29 CFR 1910.146 does not apply to construction work; on a jobsite the rule is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213). In Wyoming, Wyoming OSHA enforces the state's own rule on this subject, Wyo. OSHA General Industry 1910, Chapter 10 (Subpart J); construction at Construction Chapter 27 (Subpart AA). 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
13.9
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Wyoming, 2024 (BLS)
What Wyoming's own rule says
“29 C.F.R. §§ 1926.1200 - 1926.1213 (2015) as it was in effect on September 13, 2024.”
Wyoming splits confined spaces the way federal law does, and pins the two halves differently. General industry permit spaces sit in Chapter 10 at the 2016 edition as in effect June 19, 2018. Construction confined spaces have their own Chapter 27, holding 1926.1200 through 1926.1213 at the 2015 edition as it stood on September 13, 2024, a later refresh than most of the construction chapters received. On a jobsite it is Chapter 27 that governs, and it is one of the more recently updated rules in the Wyoming set.
Wyo. OSHA General Industry 1910, Chapter 10 (Subpart J); construction at Construction Chapter 27 (Subpart AA)The duty itself differs from the federal text.
Harmful exposures and work deaths in Wyoming, 2024
Wyoming recorded 37 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 45 in 2023. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 4 of them (11%). Construction accounted for 6.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Wyoming, 2024
How Wyoming Enforces Confined Spaces
Wyoming runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Wyoming OSHA, which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Wyoming's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is Wyo. OSHA General Industry 1910, Chapter 10 (Subpart J); construction at Construction Chapter 27 (Subpart AA), which differs from the federal text (see the state rule above). Wyoming OSHA issued no citations under 29 CFR 1910.146 in Wyoming construction in FY2025. Wyoming applies the federal penalty maximums.
29 CFR 1910.146 is a general-industry standard and does not govern construction work. “This section does not apply to agriculture, to construction, or to shipyard employment”. Construction confined spaces are 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213), a separate standard with its own duties. It is not universal either: 1926.1201(b) carves out work already regulated by Subpart P (excavations), Subpart S (underground construction, caissons, cofferdams, compressed air) and Subpart Y (diving). A Wyoming contractor auditing against 29 CFR 1910.146 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 Wyoming State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Wyoming
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Wyoming, the program is OSHA Division (Wyoming Department of Workforce Services). 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.
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Wyoming Penalty Amounts for Confined Spaces (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) |
Wyoming applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Wyoming OSHA computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
Key Confined Spaces Requirements Under the Federal Standard 29 CFR 1910.146
- Evaluate workplace for confined spaces
- Develop written permit space program
- Test atmosphere before and during entry
- Provide ventilation to control hazardous atmospheres
- Station an attendant outside each permit space
- Arrange rescue services before entry begins
- Issue entry permits for each entry
Who enforces it in Wyoming: Wyoming OSHA inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Wyoming OSHA 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 1910.146 are on the 29 CFR 1910.146 page.
What a Confined Spaces Violation Looks Like
Each item below breaches a specific paragraph of 29 CFR 1910.146. It is a list of requirements, not a ranking. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- Failing to evaluate the workplace to identify permit-required confined spaces (1910.146(c)(1)).
- Entry without atmospheric testing or with an atmosphere outside the acceptable ranges (1910.146(c)(5)/(d)).
- No written permit-space program, or no signed entry permit for the entry (1910.146(c)(4)/(e)).
- No attendant stationed outside, or the attendant entering to attempt a rescue (1910.146(i)/(k)).
- No arranged rescue and emergency services before entry (1910.146(k)).
Wyoming Safety & Enforcement Profile
89
FY2025 construction citations
Wyoming OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Wyoming, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (17), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (15) and New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (5), out of 73 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Wyoming, 2024: 27.1 per 100,000 full-time workers, 2nd highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 13.9).
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 Confined Spaces Compliance Tools
Confined Spaces FAQ for Wyoming
Which Wyoming industries most often face a Confined Spaces inspection?
Confined Spaces inspections reach general-industry employers in Wyoming, not the construction trades. Wyoming OSHA inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. A construction employer should not audit against 29 CFR 1910.146: the standard that governs the same work on a jobsite is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213).
How often is Confined Spaces cited in Wyoming?
29 CFR 1910.146 is enforced against general-industry employers in Wyoming, so the construction citation totals published for Wyoming (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23) do not measure it. “This section does not apply to agriculture, to construction, or to shipyard employment”. Construction confined spaces are 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213), a separate standard with its own duties. It is not universal either: 1926.1201(b) carves out work already regulated by Subpart P (excavations), Subpart S (underground construction, caissons, cofferdams, compressed air) and Subpart Y (diving). A construction employer should not audit against 29 CFR 1910.146: the standard that governs the same work on a jobsite is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA (1926.1201–1213).
What makes a space a 'permit-required confined space' under 1910.146 in Wyoming?
A confined space is permit-required if it has a hazardous atmosphere (or the potential for one), an engulfment hazard, an inward-converging configuration that could trap a worker, or any other recognized serious hazard. Wyoming employers must test the atmosphere before and during entry, ventilate as necessary, post an attendant, and have a rescue plan, enforced by Wyoming OSHA.
Who enforces confined-space rules (1910.146) in Wyoming?
Wyoming OSHA, a division of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, not federal OSHA. Wyoming runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer inspects and cites 1910.146 on private jobsites.
Can I get free OSHA help in Wyoming without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Wyoming is OSHA Division (Wyoming Department of Workforce Services). 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.
Confined Spaces Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Confined Spaces in Other States
13 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.146 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska8 AAC 61.1050Arizona29 CFR 1910.146 as adopted by A.A.C. R20-5-602; construction spaces under R20-5-601California8 CCR §5157, with §5158 for spaces outside the permit programown maxHawaii29 CFR 1910.146 as incorporated by HAR §12-60-50(a), with §12-60-7Minnesota29 CFR 1910.146 as adopted by Minn. R. 5205.0010, with Minn. R. 5207.0510NevadaNRS 618.383 and NRS 618.305 (sources for standards)New Mexico29 CFR 1910.146 as incorporated by 11.5.2.9(A) NMACown maxNorth Carolina13 NCAC 07F .0207, incorporating bloodborne pathogens into construction at 29 CFR 1926.1130
Other OSHA Standards in Wyoming
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.
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