1910.144(a): Red and Yellow Hazard Colors
Employers must use red as the basic color for identifying danger and stop, including danger signs, red lights at barricades, emergency stop bars and buttons, and flammable liquid safety cans with a flash point at or below 80 F. Yellow is the basic color for caution and for marking hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping and "caught in between."
Key takeaways
- 1910.144(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 59 times in the last 3 years, in 59 inspections, with $79,360 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: NY (29), NJ (19), CT (2).
- Related part: 1910.144(a)(3) Yellow (53 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.144(a) ("Color identification") is one requirement inside 1910.144 Safety color code for marking physical hazards, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). It includes 6 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(a) Color identification — 59 citations
(1) Red. Red shall be the basic color for the identification of: 6 citations
(i) Fire protection equipment and apparatus. [Reserved]
(ii) Danger. Safety cans or other portable containers of flammable liquids having a flash point at or below 80 °F, table containers of flammable liquids (open cup tester), excluding shipping containers, shall be painted red with some additional clearly visible identification either in the form of a yellow band around the can or the name of the contents conspicuously stenciled or painted on the can in yellow. Red lights shall be provided at barricades and at temporary obstructions. Danger signs shall be painted red.
(iii) Stop. Emergency stop bars on hazardous machines such as rubber mills, wire blocks, flat work ironers, etc., shall be red. Stop buttons or electrical switches which letters or other markings appear, used for emergency stopping of machinery shall be red. 6 citations
(2) [Reserved]
(3) Yellow. Yellow shall be the basic color for designating caution and for marking physical hazards such as: Striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping, and “caught in between.” Open (a)(3) 53 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.144.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.144(a).
On April 10, 2024, an employee working as a maintenance worker for a tire manufacturer was troubleshooting the pallet loading failures of the WIGWAG-1 line. Surveillance video showed the employee entering the machine through the discharge conveyor without performing lockout/tagout. Entering the machine required passing…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 23 |
| 2026 | 9 |
Top states: NY (29), NJ (19), CT (2), PA (2), NC (2)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| LENAPE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT | MEDFORD, NJ | $7,000 |
| MORRIS HILLS REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ROCKAWAY BOROUGH, NJ | $6,000 |
| TOWNSHIP OF WOODBRIDGE BOARD OF EDUCATION - ADMINISTRATION BUILDING | WOODBRIDGE, NJ | $5,000 |
| COUNTY OF SALEM PUBLIC WORKS / ROAD DEPARTMENT | WOODSTOWN, NJ | $5,000 |
| NJ TRANSIT MORRIS GARAGE | DOVER, NJ | $4,900 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.144(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Questions and answers about color coding machine and machine guards according to ANSI Z535.1-1990 (2003-08-19)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.144(a)(3) Yellow 53 citations
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
What must be red?
Danger signs, red lights at barricades and temporary obstructions, emergency stop bars and buttons, and certain flammable liquid safety cans.
Which flammable containers must be red?
Safety cans or other portable containers of flammable liquids with a flash point at or below 80 F, excluding shipping containers.
What does yellow mark?
Caution and physical hazards such as striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping and "caught in between."
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.144 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.