1910.266(f)(2)(viii): No Riders on Mobile Logging Machines
No employee other than the operator may ride on any mobile logging machine unless seating, seat belts and other protection equal to what the operator has are provided.
Key takeaways
- 1910.266(f)(2)(viii) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart R).
- OSHA cited it 1 times in the last 3 years, in 1 inspections, with $21,700 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1910.266(f) Machines (18 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.266(f)(2)(viii) is one requirement inside 1910.266 Logging operations, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart R). 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
(viii) No employee other than the operator shall ride on any mobile machine unless seating, seat belts and other protection equivalent to that provided for the operator are provided. 1 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.266.
Export the list: 1 inspections cited 1910.266(f)(2)(viii) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.266(f)(2)(viii).
At 8:03 a.m. on April 16, 2024, an Employee #1, Employee #2 and a coworker were topping felled trees in a cleared-out area of a logging site. The coworker was operating the John Deere 843L a Feller Buncher while Employee #1 and Employee #2were riding…
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.266(f)(2)(viii).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.266(f) Machines 18 citations
- 1910.266(f)(1) General requirements 10 citations
- 1910.266(f)(2) Machine operation 7 citations
- 1910.266(f)(3) Protective structures 1 citations
- 1910.266(f)(3)(xiv)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a second person ride on a mobile machine?
Only if seating, seat belts and other protection equivalent to the operator's are provided.
Who is allowed to ride otherwise?
Only the operator.
What protection is needed for a rider?
Seating, seat belts and other protection equivalent to that provided for the operator.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.266 (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 2026-11-06
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.
