1910.156 Fire Brigades: citations, penalties and recently cited employers
Data as of October 5, 2026 · citations issued Oct 5, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026
Applies to employers who choose to organize an industrial fire brigade, meaning a group of employees trained to fight fires at the workplace. The employer must prepare a written statement or policy establishing the brigade, its organization, functions, and training. Members must be physically capable, trained commensurate with their duties, with interior structural firefighters receiving quarterly training or education. Protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus must be provided where members fight interior structural fires.
What the standard requires
- Prepare an organizational statement for the fire brigade
- Ensure members are physically capable of their assigned duties
- Train brigade members according to their duties, with recurring sessions
- Provide protective clothing and respiratory protection at no cost
- Inspect and maintain firefighting equipment
Hazards it addresses
- Burns and smoke inhalation
- Structural collapse during interior firefighting
- Heat exhaustion
Cited at large manufacturing plants, refineries, and chemical facilities with in-house fire response teams.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910.156(c)(2) | Training and education of brigade members | 21 | 20 | $0 |
| 1910.156(c)(1) | Training and education of brigade members | 16 | 16 | $0 |
| 1910.156(d) | 14 | 14 | $0 | |
| 1910.156(b)(1) | Organization of the fire brigade | 10 | 10 | $0 |
| 1910.156(f)(1)(ii) | Respiratory protection devices | 4 | 2 | $10,000 |
| 1910.156(e)(5)(ii) | Protective clothing for interior structural firefighting | 3 | 1 | $1,000 |
| 1910.156(c)(4) | Training and education of brigade members | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| 1910.156(e)(1)(i) | Protective clothing for interior structural firefighting | 1 | 1 | $640 |
| 1910.156(e)(3)(i) | Protective clothing for interior structural firefighting | 1 | 1 | $10,000 |
| 1910.156(f)(1)(iv) | Respiratory protection devices | 1 | 1 | $0 |
Penalties
Across 72 alleged items, OSHA and state-plan offices proposed $60,600 in initial penalties. The current total in the public data is $56,661, 6% lower after settlements, contests and amendments.
By violation type: Serious 68%; Other-than-serious 19%; Willful 7%; Repeat 6%.
Citations by state
| State | Inspections cited | Items | Initial penalties | Current penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 19 | 45 | $55,840 | $52,576 |
| New York | 12 | 21 | $0 | $0 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 3 | $1,280 | $1,280 |
| Virginia | 2 | 2 | $780 | $780 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 1 | $2,700 | $2,025 |
By industry
- Public administration: 33 inspections
- Manufacturing: 2 inspections
- Administrative & waste services: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Hurst - Fire Dept | Hurst, IL | Aug 24, 2026 | 1 | $2,640 | $396 | Informal settlementAbatement due Sep 28, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Enfield Volunteer Fire Company | Ithaca, NY | Aug 13, 2026 | 4 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Aug 25, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Elmont Volunteer Fire Department | Elmont, NY | Aug 12, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Sep 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Ware-Wolf Lake FPD | Wolf Lake, IL | Jun 29, 2026 | 3 | $1,200 | $180 | Informal settlementAbatement due Aug 3, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Hastings on Hudson Fire Department Uniontown Volunteer Hose Company NO. 2 | Hastings On Hudson, NY | Jun 1, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 17, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Hemstreet Park Fire Dept | Mechanicville, NY | May 29, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 16, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Colchester, IL | May 11, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 15, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Schuyler County FPD | Rushville, IL | May 8, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 12, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Phoenicia Fire District | Phoenicia, NY | May 6, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 23, 2026 | osha.gov |
| City of Griggsville - Fire Dept | Griggsville, IL | May 4, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Pekin, IL | May 4, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| City of Winchester - Fire Dept | Winchester, IL | May 4, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jun 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Village of Maywood - Fire Department | Maywood, IL | Apr 30, 2026 | 7 | $52,000 | $52,000 | ContestedAbatement due Jun 4, 2026Contested May 8, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Durhamville Volunteer Fire Department | Durhamville, NY | Apr 16, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jul 16, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Mascoutah Rural FPD - Fayetteville | Fayetteville, IL | Mar 23, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Apr 27, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Richburg-Wirt Fire District | Bolivar, NY | Feb 10, 2026 | 3 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 11, 2026 | osha.gov |
| City of Norwalk | Norwalk, CT | Feb 6, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Mar 27, 2026 | osha.gov |
| OLD Dominion Metal Products Inc. | Richmond, VA | Feb 4, 2026 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 24, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Lee HY Paving, LLC | Rockville, VA | Feb 4, 2026 | 1 | $780 | $780 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 24, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Clyde Volunteer Fire Department | Clyde, NY | Jan 14, 2026 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Mar 5, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Aledo, IL | Jan 13, 2026 | 3 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 17, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Spring Valley FPD | Spring Valley, IL | Dec 29, 2025 | 3 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Feb 2, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Mansfield Fire & Emergency Services | Mansfield Center, CT | Dec 19, 2025 | 2 | $1,280 | $1,280 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 26, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Chenango Bridge Volunteer Fire Company | Chenango Bridge, NY | Dec 15, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 20, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Fuller Road Fire Department Inc. | Albany, NY | Dec 11, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 30, 2026 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Fulton, IL | Dec 8, 2025 | 3 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Jan 12, 2026 | osha.gov |
| New Woodstock Volunteer Fire Department Inc. | New Woodstock, NY | Nov 25, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Mar 2, 2026 | osha.gov |
| City of East Moline - FD | East Moline, IL | Nov 24, 2025 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 31, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Brussels, IL | Nov 24, 2025 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 31, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Rural/Metro Fire Dept., Inc. | Chattanooga, TN | Nov 18, 2025 | 1 | $2,700 | $2,025 | Informal settlementAbatement due Dec 1, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Bondville, IL | Nov 13, 2025 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 18, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Angelica Hose Company | Angelica, NY | Nov 10, 2025 | 3 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Nov 17, 2025 | osha.gov |
| City of Savanna - Fire Department | Savanna, IL | Nov 4, 2025 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 8, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Shabbona Community FPD | Shabbona, IL | Nov 3, 2025 | 4 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 8, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Village of Lenzburg - Fire Dept | Lenzburg, IL | Nov 3, 2025 | 2 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 8, 2025 | osha.gov |
| Name withheld (individual) | Bradford, IL | Oct 23, 2025 | 1 | $0 | $0 | Final orderAbatement due Dec 1, 2025 | osha.gov |
Often cited together
- 1910.134 Respiratory Protection (22 shared inspections)
- 1910.120 HAZWOPER (12 shared inspections)
- 1910.132 PPE General Requirements (10 shared inspections)
- 1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens (9 shared inspections)
- 1910.303 Electrical General (6 shared inspections)
- 1910.37 Exit Route Maintenance (4 shared inspections)
- 1910.1200 Hazard Communication (2 shared inspections)
- 1910.23 Ladders (2 shared inspections)
Questions
What does OSHA standard 1910.156 require?
Applies to employers who choose to organize an industrial fire brigade, meaning a group of employees trained to fight fires at the workplace. The employer must prepare a written statement or policy establishing the brigade, its organization, functions, and training. Members must be physically capable, trained commensurate with their duties, with interior structural firefighters receiving quarterly training or education. Protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus must be provided where members fight interior structural fires.
How often was 1910.156 cited in the last 12 months?
In the public data as of October 5, 2026, 1910.156 (Fire Brigades) appeared in 36 inspections with citations issued between Oct 5, 2025 and Oct 5, 2026, covering 72 alleged violation items.
Which part of 1910.156 is cited most?
1910.156(c)(2) was the most-cited paragraph, with 21 items: Training and education of brigade members
Which states cite 1910.156 most often?
The most citations under 1910.156 in this period were issued in Illinois, New York, Connecticut.
What is the typical penalty for a 1910.156 violation?
The median initial (proposed) penalty per item was $0; the median current penalty after settlements and amendments was $0. Totals: $60,600 proposed, $56,661 current. Penalties vary by violation type, employer size and history, and State Plans set their own amounts.
Are 1910.156 citations final?
Not necessarily. A citation is an allegation until it becomes a final order. 10% 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.