1910.177(d): Tire Servicing Restraints and Barriers
Employers must furnish a restraining device for inflating tires on multi-piece wheels, and a restraining device or barrier for single piece wheels unless the wheel is bolted onto a vehicle. These must withstand a rim wheel separation at 150 percent of maximum tire specification pressure, be visually inspected before each day's use, and be removed from service when damaged.
Key takeaways
- 1910.177(d) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart N).
- OSHA cited it 60 times in the last 3 years, in 47 inspections, with $97,056 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: TN (15), MD (10), KY (4).
- Related part: 1910.177(d)(5) (25 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.177(d) ("Tire servicing equipment") is one requirement inside 1910.177 Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart N). It includes 18 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
(d) Tire servicing equipment. 60 citations
(1) The employer shall furnish a restraining device for inflating tires on multi-piece wheels. 4 citations
(2) The employer shall provide a restraining device or barrier for inflating tires on single piece wheels unless the rim wheel will be bolted onto a vehicle during inflation. Open (d)(2) 17 citations
(3) Restraining devices and barriers shall comply with the following requirements: 1 citations
(i) Each restraining device or barrier shall have the capacity to withstand the maximum force that would be transferred to it during a rim wheel separation occurring at 150 percent of the maximum tire specification pressure for the type of rim wheel being serviced. 1 citations
(ii) Restraining devices and barriers shall be capable of preventing the rim wheel components from being thrown outside or beyond the device or barrier for any rim wheel positioned within or behind the device;
(iii) Restraining devices and barriers shall be visually inspected prior to each day's use and after any separation of the rim wheel components or sudden release of contained air. Any restraining device or barrier exhibiting damage such as the following defects shall be immediately removed from service:
(A) Cracks at welds;
(B) Cracked or broken components;
(C) Bent or sprung components caused by mishandling, abuse, tire explosion or rim wheel separation;
(D) Pitting of components due to corrosion; or
(E) Other structural damage which would decrease its effectiveness.
(iv) Restraining devices or barriers removed from service shall not be returned to service until they are repaired and reinspected. Restraining devices or barriers requiring structural repair such as component replacement or rewelding shall not be returned to service until they are certified by either the manufacturer or a Registered Professional Engineer as meeting the strength requirements of paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section.
(4) The employer shall furnish and assure that an air line assembly consisting of the following components be used for inflating tires: Open (d)(4) 12 citations
(i) A clip-on chuck; 1 citations
(ii) An in-line valve with a pressure gauge or a presettable regulator; and Open (d)(4)(ii) 6 citations
(iii) A sufficient length of hose between the clip-on chuck and the in-line valve (if one is used) to allow the employee to stand outside the trajectory. 1 citations
(5) Current charts or rim manuals containing instructions for the type of wheels being serviced shall be available in the service area. Open (d)(5) 25 citations
(6) The employer shall furnish and assure that only tools recommended in the rim manual for the type of wheel being serviced are used to service rim wheels. 1 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.177.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.177(d).
At 12:42 p.m. on August 5, 2024, an employee was filling dump truck tires with air. The employee was filling up a tire with air, but not in a tire cage. When the tire blew, it struck the employee in the head, killing him.
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 | 16 |
Top states: TN (15), MD (10), KY (4), IA (4), NE (4)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| THE TIRE GUYS, INC. | LEWISTOWN, MT | $16,550 |
| RAIL MODAL GROUP LLC | FREMONT, NE | $14,895 |
| CROELL, INC. | BILLINGS, MT | $9,000 |
| NITCO LLC | LITTLETON, MA | $9,000 |
| SULLIVAN TIRE | SHAWMUT, ME | $7,259 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.177(d), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.177(d).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.177(d)(5) 25 citations
- 1910.177(d)(2) 17 citations
- 1910.177(d)(4) 12 citations
- 1910.177(d)(4)(ii) 6 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
When is a restraining device required?
For inflating tires on multi-piece wheels, and for single piece wheels unless the rim wheel will be bolted onto a vehicle during inflation.
How strong must the restraint be?
Able to withstand the maximum force from a rim wheel separation at 150 percent of the maximum tire specification pressure.
How often must restraints be inspected?
Visually, prior to each day's use and after any rim wheel separation or sudden release of contained air.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.177 (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 2026-10-22
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.