Unattended running vehicles at construction sites

January 14, 2004

Mr. Paul Hayes

Safety Manager

Global Hawk Facilities Renovation Project

Skanska

[Recipient address omitted]

Re: Whether any OSHA construction standards prohibit vehicles from being left running and unattended.

Dear Mr. Hayes:

This is in response to your letter dated June 25, 2003, to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inquiring about Agency requirements for leaving construction vehicles unattended and running. We apologize for the delay in responding.

We have paraphrased your question as follows:

Question: Are there any Federal OSHA construction standards that prohibit vehicles used in construction from being left running and unattended on an off-highway job-site?1

Answer

No. However, note that §1926.600(a)(3)(ii) requires:

Whenever the equipment is parked, the parking brake shall be set. Equipment parked on inclines shall have the wheels chocked and the parking brake set.

Therefore, when left unattended and running, the parking brake must be set, and if the vehicle is on an incline, in addition to setting the brake, the wheels must be chocked.

If you need additional information, please contact us by fax at: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, Directorate of Construction, Office of Construction Standards and Guidance, fax # 202-693-1689. You can also contact us by mail at the above office, Room N3468, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, although there will be a delay in our receiving correspondence by mail.

Sincerely,

Russell B. Swanson, Director

Directorate of Construction

1 We understand your question to be with reference to OSHA requirements applicable to construction work at Beale Air Force Base in California. [back to text]