{"data":{"id":"us-mt/50-71-120","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"50-71-120","heading":"Stop-work orders.","body":"(1) The department may order a public sector employer to immediately and temporarily stop work at a particular workplace if a department inspector who has personally observed the workplace and the hazards that are present determines that:\n(a) the conditions or operations that are present at the workplace constitute a violation of a standard established by the department;\n(b) the violation poses an immediate and substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death to a public sector employee or a member of the public; and\n(c) the public sector employer or a public sector employee who is present at the workplace is unable or unwilling to:\n(i) immediately correct the violation; or\n(ii) suspend the unsafe operation until the violation is corrected.\n(2) The temporary stop-work order must be in writing and specify:\n(a) the location of the workplace;\n(b) the specific standard that is being violated;\n(c) the nature of the risk posed by the violation;\n(d) the date and the time that the temporary stop-work order is issued; and\n(e) the name, employment address, and work telephone number of the person issuing the temporary stop-work order.\n(3) The temporary stop-work order is effective upon communication or delivery to any one of the following:\n(a) the public sector employer's onsite supervisor at the workplace;\n(b) the public sector employer's manager in charge of workplace operations; or\n(c) the chief executive of the public sector employer.\n(4) A copy of the temporary stop-work order must be promptly posted by the department at the workplace. A posted temporary stop-work order may not be removed by any person while it is in effect.\n(5) A temporary stop-work order is effective for 72 hours unless:\n(a) the violation is corrected to the satisfaction of the department; or\n(b) the temporary stop-work order is stayed by order of a district court judge following actual notice to the department and the public sector employer.\n(6) The violation of a temporary stop-work order or the unauthorized removal of a posted copy of a temporary stop-work order is punishable as a contempt of court.\n(7) As used in this section, the term \"serious bodily injury\" has the same meaning as provided in 45-2-101.","path":["TITLE 50. HEALTH AND SAFETY","CHAPTER 71. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH","Part 1. Montana Occupational Safety and Health Act"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0500/chapter_0710/part_0010/section_0200/0500-0710-0010-0200.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:56:38Z","sha256":"2e4b75384262ec7c3fe4a28eb454da88026be6d5031ff93145377d0a27fa125f","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/50-71-119","next":"us-mt/50-71-121"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}