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Emergency stop button labels and red coloring

Summary OSHA found no general-industry rule requiring “push” on emergency stop button labels. It cited 29 CFR 1910.144(a)(1)(iii), which requires emergency stop bars, buttons, and switches for hazardous machines to be red.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1996-09-10
Date issued
September 10, 1996
Status
Active
Status last verified October 9, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Machine Guarding
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.

September 10, 1996

Mr. Francis Berube
Electrical Engineer
Proceco Ltd.
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Berube:

Thank you for your letter of August 27, requesting confirmation that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have standards requiring the presence of "push" labels on emergency stop button notifications.

OSHA's General Industry Standards do not require that the word "push" appear on emergency stop button notifications. However, 29 CFR 1910.144(a)(1)(iii) requires that all emergency stop bars, stop buttons, and electrical switches used for emergency stopping of hazardous machines shall be red. (copy enclosed)

Thank you for your interest in Occupational Safety and Health. If you have further questions on this response please contact Mr. Arthur Buchanan in the Office of Safety Compliance Assistance at (202) 219-8031.

Sincerely,
John B. Miles, Jr., Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs Enclosure

Enclosure

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

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