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Fire extinguisher size on construction equipment

Summary A construction firm asked what size fire extinguisher was required on construction equipment. OSHA said the cited fire protection rule set no specific size or weight and that a hazard assessment should guide the choice of firefighting equipment. OSHA marks this published copy corrected in 2009.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1995-05-26-1
Date issued
May 26, 1995
Status
Active
OSHA marks this published copy corrected on April 6, 2009.
Status last verified October 9, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1926 Fire Safety Construction Equipment
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.

May 26, 1995

Mr. Frank Schreiber
Kulback's Construction Inc.
[Recipient address omitted]

Dear Schreiber:

This is in response to your letter of March 7 regarding the size of fire extinguisher for construction equipment.
Per our conversation of May 23, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) fire protection and prevention standard (29 CFR 1926.150 – Subpart F) does not state any specific weight or size requirements for fire extinguishers on construction equipment. As part of a fire prevention plan, a hazard assessment should be performed in order to determine potential hazards that exist and the types of fire fighting equipment that would be necessary.
We appreciate your interest in employee safety and health. If you require further assistance, please contact the [Office of General Industry Enforcement at (202)693-1850].
Sincerely,
Raymond E. Donnelly, Director
Office of General Industry Compliance
Enclosures

[Requester letter reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]

[Corrected April 6, 2009]

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