Work zones - Washington

The state of Washington has adopted most OSHA standards by reference and has some that are unique to the state. The Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) covers nearly all employers and employees in Washington, including employees who work for the state, counties, and cities. The state has some unique standards related to signaling, flaggers, and barricades. These can be found at WAC 296-155, Part E, Signaling and flaggers.

For example, WAC 296-155-305 requires employers to apply the requirements of this section and then to set up and use temporary traffic controls according to Part 6 of the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The state rule includes:

• General requirements for signaling and flaggers;
• When to use flaggers;
• Flagger signaling requirements;
• Adequate warning to flaggers of approaching vehicles;
• High-visibility garments for flaggers;
• Definitions; and
• More.

The latest version of the Washington state MUTCD will be based on the federal MUTCD 11th Edition and is expected to be adopted (with state-specific revisions) no later than January 2026. In the meantime, current Washington-specific amendments may be found at Chapter 468-95 WAC.

Note that some states have requirements for work zones and flaggers that fall under the state’s Department of Transportation regulations, in addition to the OSHA-related requirements listed here.

Related information

• Work zones

Citations

• Chapter 296-155 WAC, Safety standards for construction work; Part E, Signaling and flaggers
• 1926.200(g) – Traffic control signs and devices
• 1926.201(a) – Flaggers
• 1926.651(d) – Exposure to vehicular traffic
• 1926.6 – Incorporation by reference, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), 2009 Edition
  • Chapter 468-95 WAC, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (WA state amendments)