1910.144 Safety Color Code: citations, penalties and recently cited employers
Data as of October 5, 2026 · citations issued Oct 5, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026
Sets the basic color scheme used to identify safety hazards and equipment. Red identifies fire protection equipment and apparatus, danger, and emergency stop buttons or switches on hazardous machines. Yellow is the basic color for designating caution and marking physical hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and caught-in-between hazards. Using consistent colors helps workers recognize hazards and locate emergency equipment quickly.
What the standard requires
- Use red for fire protection equipment, danger signals, and emergency stops
- Use yellow to mark caution and physical hazards such as trip or strike points
- Apply color coding consistently throughout the workplace
Hazards it addresses
- Struck-by and tripping injuries from unmarked hazards
- Delays locating emergency stops or fire equipment
Cited in manufacturing facilities and warehouses with machinery and fire protection equipment.
Plain-language summary written for this site; it is not the regulatory text and not legal advice. Read the official text at eCFR.
Citations by month
Inspections with citations issued, by month of issuance. Hatched months are incomplete: citations reach the public data about a month after issuance.
Most-cited paragraphs
| Paragraph | What it covers | Items | Inspections | Median initial penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910.144(a)(3) | Yellow for caution and marking physical hazards | 14 | 14 | $1,775 |
| 1910.144(a)(1)(iii) | Red for fire protection equipment, danger, and stop devices | 1 | 1 | $0 |
Penalties
Across 15 alleged items, OSHA and state-plan offices proposed $34,050 in initial penalties. The current total in the public data is $34,050.
By violation type: Serious 80%; Other-than-serious 20%.
Citations by state
| State | Inspections cited | Items | Initial penalties | Current penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 7 | 7 | $33,300 | $33,300 |
| New York | 5 | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| North Carolina | 1 | 1 | $750 | $750 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 1 | $0 | $0 |
By industry
- Construction: 4 inspections
- Transportation & warehousing: 3 inspections
- Utilities: 2 inspections
- Educational services: 2 inspections
- Other services: 1 inspections
- Manufacturing: 1 inspections
- Public administration: 1 inspections
- Wholesale trade: 1 inspections
Recently cited establishments
About these records. Citations list alleged violations and proposed penalties. Employers can contest them, and many are reduced or withdrawn in settlement. Each row shows the original and the current penalty and a status label derived from the public data as of October 5, 2026. Check the linked osha.gov page for the official record.
| Establishment | Location | Issued | Alleged items | Initial penalty | Current penalty | Status and deadlines | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenape Regional High School District | Medford, NJ | Jul 10, 2026 | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Final orderAbatement due Aug 21, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Ipswich Shellfish Co., Inc. | Ipswich, MA | Jun 8, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Informal settlementAbatement due Jul 27, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Township of Ocean Department of Public Works | Waretown, NJ | Jun 8, 2026 | 1 | $4,900 | $4,900 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 21, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Borough of Pennington Department of Public Works | Pennington, NJ | Apr 15, 2026 | 1 | $2,800 | $2,800 | Final orderAbatement due May 28, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Morris Hills Regional School District | Rockaway Borough, NJ | Mar 26, 2026 | 1 | $6,000 | $6,000 | Final orderAbatement due Apr 22, 2026 | osha.gov |
| City of Burlington - Sewage Treatment Plant | Burlington, NJ | Mar 16, 2026 | 1 | $4,900 | $4,900 | Final orderAbatement due Apr 28, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Henry Molded Products, Inc. | Lebanon, PA | Jan 21, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Informal settlementAbatement due Feb 17, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Machias Town Hall | Machias, NY | Jan 7, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 20, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Westside Foods | Bronx, NY | Dec 29, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final order | osha.gov |
| Coats Garage, Inc. | Raleigh, NC | Dec 19, 2025 | 1 | $750 | $750 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 23, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Borough of Magnolia DPW | Magnolia, NJ | Dec 15, 2025 | 1 | $4,900 | $4,900 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 29, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Nys Canal Corp. Lock CS2-3 Seneca Falls | Seneca Falls, NY | Dec 1, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 26, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Delhi, NY | Nov 26, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 9, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Bordentown Sewerage Authority | Bordentown, NJ | Nov 5, 2025 | 1 | $2,800 | $2,800 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 19, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Otego Town Highway Department | Otego, NY | Oct 30, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Nov 12, 2025 | osha.gov |
Often cited together
- 1910.303 Electrical General (9 shared inspections)
- 1910.147 Lockout/Tagout (8 shared inspections)
- 1910.305 Wiring Methods (7 shared inspections)
- 1910.157 Fire Extinguishers (5 shared inspections)
- 1910.37 Exit Route Maintenance (5 shared inspections)
- 1910.22 Walking-Working Surfaces (4 shared inspections)
- 1910.132 PPE General Requirements (4 shared inspections)
- 1910.219 Power Transmission Guarding (3 shared inspections)
Questions
What does OSHA standard 1910.144 require?
Sets the basic color scheme used to identify safety hazards and equipment. Red identifies fire protection equipment and apparatus, danger, and emergency stop buttons or switches on hazardous machines. Yellow is the basic color for designating caution and marking physical hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and caught-in-between hazards. Using consistent colors helps workers recognize hazards and locate emergency equipment quickly.
How often was 1910.144 cited in the last 12 months?
In the public data as of October 5, 2026, 1910.144 (Safety Color Code) appeared in 15 inspections with citations issued between Oct 5, 2025 and Oct 5, 2026, covering 15 alleged violation items.
Which part of 1910.144 is cited most?
1910.144(a)(3) was the most-cited paragraph, with 14 items: Yellow for caution and marking physical hazards
Which states cite 1910.144 most often?
The most citations under 1910.144 in this period were issued in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts.
What is the typical penalty for a 1910.144 violation?
The median initial (proposed) penalty per item was $750; the median current penalty after settlements and amendments was $750. Totals: $34,050 proposed, $34,050 current. Penalties vary by violation type, employer size and history, and State Plans set their own amounts.
Are 1910.144 citations final?
Not necessarily. A citation is an allegation until it becomes a final order. 0% of these items were contested, and many others were changed in settlements. Each listing shows its current status and a link to the official record.