1910.157(g): Fire Extinguisher Training
Employers who provide portable fire extinguishers for employee use must teach workers the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards of fighting a fire in its early stage, when hired and at least yearly after that. Workers designated to use firefighting equipment under an emergency action plan must be trained on that equipment when assigned and at least annually.
Key takeaways
- 1910.157(g) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart L).
- OSHA cited it 719 times in the last 3 years, in 706 inspections, with $521,486 in current penalties.
- 3 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: CT (115), NJ (85), VA (69).
- Related part: 1910.157(g)(1) (455 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.157(g) ("Training and education") is one requirement inside 1910.157 Portable fire extinguishers, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart L). It includes 4 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) Training and education. 719 citations
(1) Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting. Open (g)(1) 455 citations
(2) The employer shall provide the education required in paragraph (g)(1) of this section upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter. Open (g)(2) 215 citations
(3) The employer shall provide employees who have been designated to use fire fighting equipment as part of an emergency action plan with training in the use of the appropriate equipment. Open (g)(3) 29 citations
(4) The employer shall provide the training required in paragraph (g)(3) of this section upon initial assignment to the designated group of employees and at least annually thereafter. Open (g)(4) 20 citations
[45 FR 60708, Sept. 12, 1980; 46 FR 24557, May 1, 1981, as amended at 51 FR 34560, Sept. 29, 1986; 61 FR 9239, Mar. 7, 1996; 67 FR 67964, Nov. 7, 2002]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.157.
Injuries linked to this rule
3 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.157(g).
At 4:00 p.m. on October 22, 2024, an employee working as a machine maintenance technician was on an inclined conveyor preparing to maintain its gearbox. The employee was on top of the "naturals" conveyor (#C8) associated with the Colorbiotics mulch dye machine while a coworker…
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 | 48 |
| 2024 | 263 |
| 2025 | 269 |
| 2026 | 139 |
Top states: CT (115), NJ (85), VA (69), IL (62), NY (57)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| TRADER JOE'S EAST, INC. | FREEHOLD, NJ | $30,648 |
| ALLOY WHEEL REPAIR SPECIALISTS, LLC | BATH, PA | $20,000 |
| BUILDING INTEGRATED SERVICES, LLC | CHAGRIN FALLS, OH | $13,902 |
| TRADEBE TREATMENT AND RECYCLING OF BRIDGEPORT, LLC | BRIDGEPORT, CT | $10,371 |
| BALDI CANDY CO. DBA ARWAY CONFECTIONS, INC. | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.157(g), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.157(g)(1) 455 citations
- 1910.157(g)(2) 215 citations
- 1910.157(g)(3) 29 citations
- 1910.157(g)(4) 20 citations
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Frequently asked questions
How often is fire extinguisher training required?
Upon initial employment and at least annually after that.
Who needs hands-on equipment training?
Employees designated to use firefighting equipment as part of an emergency action plan.
Is training required if extinguishers are only for show?
The requirement applies where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use.
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.