1926.200: Accident Prevention Signs and Tags
Construction signs and symbols must be visible whenever work is being performed and removed or covered promptly when the hazard is gone. Danger signs are for immediate hazards only and use a red upper panel; caution signs warn of potential hazards or unsafe practices and are yellow with a black upper panel. Required exit signs use legible red letters not less than 6 inches high on a white field.
Key takeaways
- 1926.200 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart G).
- OSHA cited it 162 times in the last 3 years, in 143 inspections, with $1,091,877 in current penalties.
- 10 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: NY (20), DE (19), TX (14).
- Most-cited part: 1926.200(g) Traffic control signs and devices (139 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.200, "Accident prevention signs and tags", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart G). It has 18 numbered 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
Show the full text of 1926.200 (18 paragraphs)
(a) General. Signs and symbols required by this subpart shall be visible at all times when work is being performed, and shall be removed or covered promptly when the hazards no longer exist. 5 citations
(b) Danger signs. Open (b) 3 citations
(1) Danger signs shall be used only where an immediate hazard exists, and shall follow the specifications illustrated in Figure 1 of ANSI Z35.1-1968 or in Figures 1 to 13 of ANSI Z535.2-2011, incorporated by reference in § 1926.6. 3 citations
(2) Danger signs shall have red as the predominating color for the upper panel; black outline on the borders; and a white lower panel for additional sign wording. Open (b)(2)
(c) Caution signs. Open (c) 8 citations
(1) Caution signs shall be used only to warn against potential hazards or to caution against unsafe practices, and shall follow the specifications illustrated in Figure 4 of ANSI Z35.1-1968 or in Figures 1 to 13 of ANSI Z535.2-2011, incorporated by reference in § 1926.6. Open (c)(1) 7 citations
(2) Caution signs shall have yellow as the predominating color; black upper panel and borders: yellow lettering of “caution” on the black panel; and the lower yellow panel for additional sign wording. Black lettering shall be used for additional wording. Open (c)(2) 1 citations
(3) The standard color of the background shall be yellow; and the panel, black with yellow letters. Any letters used against the yellow background shall be black. The colors shall be those of opaque glossy samples as specified in Table 1 of ANSI Z53.1-1967 or in Table 1 of ANSI Z535.1-2006(R2011), incorporated by reference in § 1926.6.
(d) Exit signs. Exit signs, when required, shall be lettered in legible red letters, not less than 6 inches high, on a white field and the principal stroke of the letters shall be at least three-fourths inch in width. Open (d)
(e) Safety instruction signs. Safety instruction signs, when used, shall be white with green upper panel with white letters to convey the principal message. Any additional wording on the sign shall be black letters on the white background. Open (e)
(f) Directional signs. Directional signs, other than automotive traffic signs specified in paragraph (g) of this section, shall be white with a black panel and a white directional symbol. Any additional wording on the sign shall be black letters on the white background. Open (f)
(g) Traffic control signs and devices. Open (g) 139 citations
(1) At points of hazard, construction areas shall be posted with legible traffic control signs and protected by traffic control devices. Open (g)(1) 71 citations
(2) The design and use of all traffic control devices, including signs, signals, markings, barricades, and other devices, for protection of construction workers shall conform to Part 6 of the MUTCD (incorporated by reference, see § 1926.6). Open (g)(2) 68 citations
(h) Accident prevention tags. 6 citations
(1) Accident prevention tags shall be used as a temporary means of warning employees of an existing hazard, such as defective tools, equipment, etc. They shall not be used in place of, or as a substitute for, accident prevention signs. 6 citations
(2) For accident prevention tags, employers shall follow specifications that are similar to those in Figures 1 to 4 of ANSI Z35.2-1968 or Figures 1 to 8 of ANSI Z535.5-2011, incorporated by reference in § 1926.6.
(i) Additional rules. ANSI Z35.1-1968, ANSI Z535.2-2011, ANSI Z35.2-1968, and ANSI Z535.5-2011, incorporated by reference in § 1926.6, contain rules in addition to those specifically prescribed in this subpart. The employer shall comply with ANSI Z35.1-1968 or ANSI Z535.2-2011, and ANSI Z35.2-1968 or Z535.5-2011, with respect to such additional rules. 1 citations
[44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 58 FR 35173, June 30, 1993; 67 FR 57736, Sept. 12, 2002; 69 FR 18803, Apr. 9, 2004; 78 FR 35567, June 13, 2013; 78 FR 66642, Nov. 6, 2013; 84 FR 21577, May 14, 2019]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Export the list: 143 inspections cited 1926.200 in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
10 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1926.200.
Three employees were performing guardrail repairs on the interstate when a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed fatally struck the employees.
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 | 7 |
| 2024 | 52 |
| 2025 | 69 |
| 2026 | 34 |
Top states: NY (20), DE (19), TX (14), PA (13), CT (12)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| AWP, INC. | WILMINGTON, DE | $99,300 |
| AWP, INC. | CLAYMONT, DE | $91,025 |
| MUMFORD & MILLER CONCRETE, INC. | DOVER, DE | $76,610 |
| AWP, INC. | WICKLIFFE, OH | $44,361 |
| 158681 - WRIGHT OF NORTH CAROLINA LLC | EDEN, NC | $33,100 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.200, plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1926.200.
Most-cited parts of this rule
- 1926.200(g) Traffic control signs and devices 139 citations
- 1926.200(g)(1) 71 citations
- 1926.200(g)(2) 68 citations
- 1926.200(c) Caution signs 8 citations
- 1926.200(c)(1) 7 citations
- 1926.200(b) Danger signs 3 citations
- 1926.200(c)(2) 1 citations
- 1926.200(b)(2)
- 1926.200(d) Exit signs
- 1926.200(e) Safety instruction signs
- 1926.200(f) Directional signs
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Frequently asked questions
When should a danger sign be used?
Only where an immediate hazard exists.
What colors are caution signs?
Yellow as the predominating color, with a black upper panel and borders and yellow lettering of "caution" on the black panel.
What happens to signs when the hazard is gone?
They shall be removed or covered promptly.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.200 (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.