1910.157(c): Providing and maintaining portable fire extinguishers
Where portable fire extinguishers are required, the employer must provide them and mount, locate and identify them so employees can reach them easily without risk of injury. Only approved extinguishers may be used. Extinguishers using carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane are not allowed in the workplace. Extinguishers must be kept fully charged, working and in their assigned places at all times except during use, and certain old inverting-type soda-acid, foam and cartridge-water units must be removed from service.
Key takeaways
- 1910.157(c) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart L).
- OSHA cited it 2,283 times in the last 3 years, in 2,212 inspections, with $1,503,324 in current penalties.
- 11 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: TN (316), AZ (203), NY (189).
- Related part: 1910.157(c)(1) (2,051 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.157(c) ("General requirements") is one requirement inside 1910.157 Portable fire extinguishers, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart L). It includes 5 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
(c) General requirements. 2,283 citations
(1) The employer shall provide portable fire extinguishers and shall mount, locate and identify them so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury. Open (c)(1) 2,051 citations
(2) Only approved portable fire extinguishers shall be used to meet the requirements of this section.
(3) The employer shall not provide or make available in the workplace portable fire extinguishers using carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane extinguishing agents.
(4) The employer shall assure that portable fire extinguishers are maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and kept in their designated places at all times except during use. Open (c)(4) 232 citations
(5) The employer shall remove from service all soldered or riveted shell self-generating soda acid or self-generating foam or gas cartridge water type portable fire extinguishers which are operated by inverting the extinguisher to rupture the cartridge or to initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to expel the agent.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.157.
Injuries linked to this rule
11 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.157(c).
An employee was fabricating a part for an agricultural wagon using a drill presswhen it fell onto his head, causing multiple fatal injuries to the employee.
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 | 178 |
| 2024 | 846 |
| 2025 | 759 |
| 2026 | 500 |
Top states: TN (316), AZ (203), NY (189), VA (181), CT (153)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA INC. | HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, OH | $100,450 |
| DS | SAN JUAN, PR | $35,465 |
| KYOEI STEEL, LTD | VINTON, TX | $30,000 |
| ENCANTO RESTAURANTS, INC. | COROZAL, PR | $25,000 |
| CERTAINTEED LLC | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $16,131 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.157(c), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.157(c).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.157(c)(1) 2,051 citations
- 1910.157(c)(4) 232 citations
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
Trainers and suppliers: feature your business on this rule for $25/month.
Frequently asked questions
Where must fire extinguishers be placed?
Mounted, located and identified so they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting them to possible injury.
Can an extinguisher be moved from its spot?
Only during use. Extinguishers must be kept in their designated places at all times except during use, fully charged and operable.
Are any extinguisher types banned?
Yes. Extinguishers using carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane may not be provided, and certain soldered or riveted inverting-type soda-acid, foam and cartridge-water units must be removed from service.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (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.