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Whether permanent handrails must be painted yellow

Summary A protective-coating specialist asked whether OSHA’s yellow caution-color rule required every permanent handrail to be painted yellow. OSHA said the rule was not meant to impose that requirement.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1991-11-05
Date issued
November 5, 1991
Status
Active
Status last verified October 9, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Hazard Marking
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

November 5, 1991

Mr. J. F. Mainieri
Sr. Protective Coating Specialist
American Electric Power Service Corporation
[Recipient address omitted]

Dear Mr. Mainieri:

This is in response to your inquiry of September 25, in which you requested an interpretation of 29 CFR 1910.144(a)(3). This standard states that yellow shall be the basic color for designating caution and for marking physical hazards such as: striking against, stumbling, falling, tripping and "caught in between."

Your concern is whether or not the standard requires that all permanent handrails be painted yellow. You express your belief that OSHA does not have such a requirement. The answer to your question is that 1910.144(a)(3) was not meant to state directly or by implication that all permanent handrails be painted yellow. Your assumption is therefore correct.

Sincerely,
Patricia K. Clark
Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs

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