1910.135: Head Protection
Employers must make sure each affected employee wears a protective helmet where there is a potential for head injury from falling objects, and a helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazard when near exposed electrical conductors that could contact the head. Helmets must meet ANSI Z89.1-2009, Z89.1-2003 or Z89.1-1997, or be shown to be at least as effective.
Key takeaways
- 1910.135 is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart I).
- OSHA cited it 217 times in the last 3 years, in 216 inspections, with $803,973 in current penalties.
- 14 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: FL (22), TX (21), NY (20).
- Most-cited part: 1910.135(a) General requirements (216 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.135, "Head protection", is an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart I). It has 9 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 1910.135 (9 paragraphs)
(a) General requirements. Open (a) 216 citations
(1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects. Open (a)(1) 211 citations
(2) The employer shall ensure that a protective helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazard is worn by each such affected employee when near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head. 5 citations
(b) Criteria for head protection. Open (b) 1 citations
(1) Head protection must comply with any of the following consensus standards: Open (b)(1) 1 citations
(i) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z89.1-2009, “American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection,” incorporated by reference in § 1910.6;
(ii) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z89.1-2003, “American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection,” incorporated by reference in § 1910.6; or
(iii) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z89.1-1997, “American National Standard for Personnel Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers—Requirements,” incorporated by reference in § 1910.6.
(2) Head protection devices that the employer demonstrates are at least as effective as head protection devices that are constructed in accordance with one of the above consensus standards will be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.
[59 FR 16362, Apr. 6, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 9238, Mar. 7, 1996; 61 FR 19548, May 2, 1996; 74 FR 46356, Sept. 9, 2009; 77 FR 37598, June 22, 2012]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Export the list: 216 inspections cited 1910.135 in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
14 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.135.
At 12:00 a.m. on January 20, 2025, Employee #1 was working in a truck bucket approximately 40 feet above ground when he was struck by a branch and fell out of the bucket. Emergency medical services were called and initiated life-saving measures at the scene.…
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 | 11 |
| 2024 | 83 |
| 2025 | 73 |
| 2026 | 50 |
Top states: FL (22), TX (21), NY (20), VA (19), KY (14)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| VIRGINIA TRANSFORMER CORP. | TROUTVILLE, VA | $92,244 |
| ROBERT HOISINGTON | DOVER, DE | $16,550 |
| OLSEN'S LANDSCAPING AND TREE SERVICE | GREENWOOD LAKE, NY | $16,550 |
| TRANSFORM SR LLC | EL PASO, TX | $15,000 |
| CAVCO INDUSTRIES INC. | AUSTIN, TX | $13,828 |
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.135.
Most-cited parts of this rule
- 1910.135(a) General requirements 216 citations
- 1910.135(a)(1) 211 citations
- 1910.135(b) Criteria for head protection 1 citations
- 1910.135(b)(1) 1 citations
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Frequently asked questions
When is a hard hat required in general industry?
When working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.
When is an electrically rated helmet needed?
When near exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head.
What standards must hard hats meet?
ANSI Z89.1-2009, Z89.1-2003 or Z89.1-1997, or be demonstrated to be at least as effective.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.135 (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.