1910.177(g): Servicing Single Piece Rim Wheels
Employers must set up and enforce a safe procedure for servicing single piece rim wheels. It includes fully deflating by removing the valve core before demounting, mounting only from the narrow ledge side on compatible wheels, using nonflammable rubber lubricant unless the manufacturer advises against it, inflating only in a restraining device, behind a barrier or bolted on the vehicle, staying out of the trajectory, and not exceeding stamped or manufacturer pressures.
Key takeaways
- 1910.177(g) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart N).
- OSHA cited it 37 times in the last 3 years, in 24 inspections, with $139,056 in current penalties.
- 3 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: FL (7), UT (4), WI (3).
- Related part: 1910.177(g)(6) (16 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.177(g) ("Safe operating procedure—single piece rim wheels") is one requirement inside 1910.177 Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart N). It includes 12 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
(g) Safe operating procedure—single piece rim wheels. The employer shall establish a safe operating procedure for servicing single piece rim wheels and shall assure that employees are instructed in and follow that procedure. The procedure shall include at least the following elements: 37 citations
(1) Tires shall be completely deflated by removal of the valve core before demounting.
(2) Mounting and demounting of the tire shall be done only from the narrow ledge side of the wheel. Care shall be taken to avoid damaging the tire beads while mounting tires on wheels. Tires shall be mounted only on compatible wheels of matching bead diameter and width.
(3) Nonflammable rubber lubricant shall be applied to bead and wheel mating surfaces before assembly of the rim wheel, unless the tire or wheel manufacturer recommends against the use of any rubber lubricant.
(4) If a tire changing machine is used, the tire shall be inflated only to the minimum pressure necessary to force the tire bead onto the rim ledge while on the tire changing machine. 1 citations
(5) If a bead expander is used, it shall be removed before the valve core is installed and as soon as the rim wheel becomes airtight (the tire bead slips onto the bead seat).
(6) Tires may be inflated only when contained within a restraining device, positioned behind a barrier or bolted on the vehicle with the lug nuts fully tightened. Open (g)(6) 16 citations
(7) Tires shall not be inflated when any flat, solid surface is in the trajectory and within one foot of the sidewall. 2 citations
(8) Employees shall stay out of the trajectory when inflating a tire. Open (g)(8) 11 citations
(9) Tires shall not be inflated to more than the inflation pressure stamped in the sidewall unless a higher pressure is recommended by the manufacturer.
(10) Tires shall not be inflated above the maximum pressure recommended by the manufacturer to seat the tire bead firmly against the rim flange. Open (g)(10) 1 citations
(11) No heat shall be applied to a single piece wheel.
(12) Cracked, broken, bent, or otherwise damaged wheels shall not be reworked, welded, brazed, or otherwise heated.
The information on the OSHA charts is available on three posters, or in a manual containing the three charts, entitled “Demounting and Mounting Procedures for Tubeless Truck and Bus Tires,” “Demounting and Mounting Procedures for Tube-Type Truck and Bus Tires,” and “Multi-piece Rim Matching Chart.” Interested parties can download and print both the manuals and posters from OSHA's Web site at http://www.osha.gov/publications (and type “tire chart” in the search field). However, when used by the employer at a worksite to provide information to employees, the printed posters must be, at a minimum, 2 feet wide and 3 feet long. Copies of the manual also are available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA Office of Publications, Room N-3101, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-1888; or fax: (202) 693-2498).
[49 FR 4350, Feb. 3, 1984, as amended at 52 FR 36026, Sept. 25, 1987; 53 FR 34737, Sept. 8, 1988; 61 FR 9239, Mar. 7, 1996; 76 FR 24698, May 2, 2011; 76 FR 80739, Dec. 27, 2011]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.177.
Injuries linked to this rule
3 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.177(g).
At 12:42 p.m. on August 5, 2024, an employee was filling dump truck tires with air. The employee was filling up a tire with air, but not in a tire cage. When the tire blew, it struck the employee in the head, killing him.
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 10 |
Top states: FL (7), UT (4), WI (3), VA (3), TN (3)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| EDWIN JOSUE MARTINEZ-LOPEZ | ROANOKE, VA | $18,728 |
| BRIDGESTONE RETAIL OPERATIONS, LLC | CAPE CORAL, FL | $18,438 |
| CIRCLE T LOGISTICS INC | MARION, OH | $16,000 |
| UTNS LLC | HIGHLAND, UT | $13,125 |
| 4TIRES, LLC | SAINT PETERSBURG, FL | $9,930 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.177(g), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.177(g).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.177(g)(6) 16 citations
- 1910.177(g)(8) 11 citations
- 1910.177(g)(10) 1 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
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Frequently asked questions
How must a tire be deflated before demounting?
Completely, by removal of the valve core.
Where can a single piece rim tire be inflated?
Only when contained within a restraining device, positioned behind a barrier, or bolted on the vehicle with lug nuts fully tightened.
How close can a solid surface be when inflating?
A tire shall not be inflated when any flat, solid surface is in the trajectory and within one foot of the sidewall.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.177 (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 2026-10-22
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.