General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Hand and Portable Powered Tools and Equipment – General

Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05

29 CFR 1910.242

29 CFR 1910.242 sets the general requirements for hand and portable powered tools in general industry: the employer is responsible for the safe condition of all tools used by employees, including those the employees furnish, and compressed air used for cleaning must be reduced to less than 30 psi and used with chip guarding and PPE.

29 CFR 1910.242 at a glance

What it requires: Employer responsibility for safe hand and portable powered tools; compressed-air cleaning under 30 psi
Who it covers: General-industry employers: the counterpart to construction's 1926.300/301
Compressed-air rule: Air for cleaning reduced to under 30 psi, with chip guarding and PPE (1910.242(b))
Key duty: Keep all tools, including employee-furnished, in safe condition
Max penalty (2026): $16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
The #1 confusion: Cleaning with shop air at full pressure is prohibited: it must be under 30 psi

What 29 CFR 1910.242 requires (plain English)

29 CFR 1910.242 sets the general requirements for hand and portable powered tools and equipment in general industry. Like its construction counterpart, it makes the employer responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees, including tools and equipment the employees themselves furnish. The employer cannot disclaim a defective tool simply because a worker owns it.

The standard's most-cited specific provision governs compressed air used for cleaning: it may not be used unless the pressure is reduced to less than 30 psi, and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment. This limits the force of expelled chips and reduces the risk of air being injected through the skin, both of which full line pressure can cause.

1910.242 works with the guarding standard for portable power tools (1910.243) and the general machine-guarding standard (1910.212), and it parallels the construction tool standards (1926.300 and 1926.301). Together they hold the employer to keeping the general-industry toolbox safe and to using compressed air safely.

The regulatory text

“Each employer shall be responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees, including tools and equipment which may be furnished by employees.”

29 CFR 1910.242(a)

Key facts about 29 CFR 1910.242

The employer is responsible for the safe condition of all tools used by employees, including employee-furnished tools (1910.242(a)).
Compressed air for cleaning must be reduced to less than 30 psi (1910.242(b)).
Compressed-air cleaning also requires effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.
The 30-psi limit reduces the risk of driven chips and air injection through the skin.
1910.242 pairs with 1910.243 (guarding of portable power tools).
It parallels the construction tool standards 1926.300 and 1926.301.
Defective portable tools must be removed from service.

Scope: who 29 CFR 1910.242 applies to

Regulatory framework: General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Citation reference: 29 CFR 1910.242
Enforcement status: In force and enforced
Jurisdiction: Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)

State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.

Key requirements of 29 CFR 1910.242

#	Employer obligation
1	Maintain tools in safe condition
2	Remove damaged tools from service
3	Use tools only for intended purpose
4	Guard exposed moving parts
5	Use impact tools with retainer springs on sockets

Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1910.242. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.

Common Hand & Power Tools violations

Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1910.242 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.

Compressed air used for cleaning at 30 psi or more (1910.242(b)).
Compressed-air cleaning without chip guarding or PPE (1910.242(b)).
Damaged or defective hand and portable tools in service (1910.242(a)).
Employee-furnished tools in unsafe condition not removed from service (1910.242(a)).
Using a tool for a purpose it was not designed for (1910.242(a)).

Shop air for cleaning must be under 30 psi: full pressure is prohibited

The most frequently missed part of 1910.242 is the compressed-air rule. Workers routinely blow chips and dust off benches, machines, and clothing with a full-pressure air gun, but 1910.242(b) prohibits using compressed air for cleaning unless it is reduced to less than 30 psi, and even then only with chip guarding and PPE. Full line pressure can drive a metal chip into an eye or inject air under the skin. The limit is about the dead-ended pressure at the nozzle when it is blocked: nozzles that relieve to under 30 psi when dead-ended are how compliance is achieved.

What OSHA inspectors look for

A compliance officer checks for damaged or defective hand and portable tools in service, and specifically for compressed-air cleaning at pressures of 30 psi or more without chip guarding: a common and dangerous shortcut. Worker-owned tools in poor condition are also the employer's responsibility.

Example: how a violation is cited

A worker cleans metal shavings off a bench with a compressed-air gun at full line pressure and no chip guarding, and a particle is driven into an eye. OSHA cites 1910.242(b) because compressed air for cleaning must be reduced below 30 psi with chip guarding, with penalties from $16,550.

Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.

Hand & Power Tools compliance checklist

Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1910.242. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.

Inspect hand and portable powered tools, including employee-owned, and remove unsafe ones from service.
Fit compressed-air cleaning nozzles that relieve to under 30 psi when dead-ended, or use a lower-pressure supply.
Require chip guarding and eye protection whenever compressed air is used for cleaning.
Train workers never to use full-pressure air to clean skin, clothing, or benches.
Apply the guarding requirements of 1910.243 to portable power tools with exposed moving parts.
Maintain tools per manufacturer instructions to keep them in safe condition.

2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1910.242

Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.

Violation type	Minimum	Maximum	When it applies
Serious	$1,085	$16,550	Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious	$0	$16,550	Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful	$11,823	$165,514	Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated	$4,256	$165,514	A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate	None	$16,550/day	up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)

Tool and compressed-air citations arise on routine general-industry inspections. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514; over-pressure cleaning air and defective tools are the usual findings.

Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.

The business case for Hand & Power Tools compliance

Hand and portable tools are used everywhere in general industry, and defective tools and high-pressure air cleaning cause lacerations, struck-by injuries, and eye injuries. The 30-psi limit on cleaning air exists because full line pressure can drive a chip into an eye or inject air into the body through the skin.

Free compliance tools for 29 CFR 1910.242

Weekly Site Safety Inspection Job Hazard Analysis Builder PPE Selector

Hand & Power Tools penalties by state

Penalties and enforcement vary by state. State-Plan states may impose higher penalties and additional requirements beyond federal 29 CFR 1910.242.

Alabama Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia

View all 50 states + DC →

Frequently asked questions about 29 CFR 1910.242

What is the OSHA limit on compressed air for cleaning?

Under 1910.242(b), compressed air may not be used for cleaning unless it is reduced to less than 30 psi, and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment. The limit refers to the dead-ended pressure at the nozzle, so nozzles that relieve to under 30 psi when blocked are the usual way to comply. Full line pressure can drive a chip into an eye or inject air under the skin.

Who is responsible for tools that employees own?

The employer. Under 1910.242(a), the employer is responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees, including tools and equipment furnished by the employees themselves. A worker's personal tool used on the job must be maintained in safe condition, and an unsafe one must be removed from service.

Why is high-pressure compressed air dangerous for cleaning?

At full line pressure, a compressed-air stream can propel metal chips and grit fast enough to penetrate skin or an eye, and pressure applied against the skin can force air into the bloodstream, which can be fatal. That is why 1910.242(b) caps cleaning air at under 30 psi and requires chip guarding and PPE even then.

What is the difference between 1910.242 and 1926.300?

They are the general hand- and portable-tool standards for their industries: 1910.242 for general industry and 1926.300 for construction. Both make the employer responsible for the safe condition of all tools, including employee-furnished ones. General industry's 1910.242 also carries the specific 30-psi compressed-air-cleaning limit, while construction's tool requirements are spread across 1926.300 through 1926.304.

Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1910.242

1910.242 has been general industry's baseline hand- and portable-tool standard since OSHA adopted its original 1971 standards from national consensus sources. Its 30-psi compressed-air-cleaning limit is among the most frequently cited provisions because full-pressure air cleaning is such a common and hazardous shop habit.

Related glossary terms

Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1910.242, each with a full plain-English explainer.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Serious Eye Damage Competent Person Hierarchy of Controls

Related guides & articles

OSHA Machine Guarding Requirements Complete Guide OSHA Top 10 Most-Cited Violations 2026

Related OSHA standards

29 CFR 1910.141

Sanitation

29 CFR 1910.142

Temporary Labor Camps

29 CFR 1910.144

Safety Color Code

29 CFR 1910.145

Safety Signs & Tags

Primary sources

OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).

This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.

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