The Most Common OSHA Violations in Construction, and How to Prevent Them

Key takeaways:

• Federal OSHA issued more than 26,000 citations to construction employers across nearly 11,000 inspections in fiscal year 2025, with about $109 million in current penalties. Fall protection alone drew more than 6,700 citations.
• The list barely changes. Fall protection has been OSHA's most-cited standard for 16 straight years, and five of the ten standards on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list are construction standards.
• Almost every one of these standards comes with a record the employer is expected to keep or show, such as a training certification, a competent person's inspection, or a written program. When the record isn't there, that can be its own citation.

In fiscal year 2025, federal OSHA issued more than 26,000 citations to construction employers, across nearly 11,000 inspections, carrying about $109 million in current penalties. Fall protection drew more than 6,700 of them. None of the standards behind those numbers is new. The same ones show up every year: fall protection, ladders, scaffolding, training, eye and head protection, hazard communication, silica, and excavations.

This guide takes each one through the same four questions: the violation, what OSHA looks for, what contractors should do, and what documentation should exist to show it was done. We update it every year when OSHA publishes its numbers.

The Numbers Behind the List

OSHA publishes its citation data in two ways. Each year, usually in September, it announces a preliminary Top 10 for all industries. Its Frequently Cited OSHA Standards tool breaks the numbers down by industry code, so you can see exactly what your trade gets cited for.

Two definitions matter when you read the tool. A citation count is the number of times a standard was cited, so one inspection can produce several citations under the same standard. The inspection count for a total line is the number of inspections that produced at least one citation. Penalties are current amounts, after any settlements or contests, rather than the amounts OSHA first proposed.

Here's what federal OSHA cited in fiscal year 2025, October 2024 through September 2025, for five construction sectors:

Roofing stands out. Fall protection alone accounted for 3,692 roofing citations and $27.0 million in roofing penalties, and ladders (1,663), fall protection training (1,340), and eye and face protection (938) came next.

For the newest view, OSHA's preliminary Top 10 for fiscal year 2026, covering October 2025 through August 2026, puts five construction standards on the all-industry list:

Hazard communication (#2) and respiratory protection (#6) are general industry standards that also apply on construction sites.

1. Fall Protection (1926.501)

The violation. Workers exposed to a fall of 6 feet or more without guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest. It's the most-cited standard in construction every year. In fiscal year 2025, one paragraph alone, residential construction at 1926.501(b)(13), drew 4,446 violations, according to OSHA's data.

What OSHA looks for.

• Unprotected sides and edges 6 feet or more above a lower level (1926.501(b)(1)).
• Leading edges (b)(2).
• Holes, including skylights, more than 6 feet above a lower level, without covers, guardrails, or personal fall arrest (b)(4).
• Residential construction work at 6 feet or more without guardrails, nets, or personal fall arrest (b)(13).
• How fall arrest is used, under 1926.502: whether harnesses and lanyards are inspected before each use, whether there's a plan for prompt rescue, and whether anchorages hold up.

What contractors should do. Plan fall protection by task before the work starts, not after the crew is on the roof. Put guardrails and hole covers in early, and mark covers. Make personal fall arrest the backup where guardrails aren't feasible, not the default. Inspect harnesses and lanyards before every use, pull damaged gear from service, and know how you'd rescue a worker hanging in a harness.

What documentation should exist.

• A pre-task plan or JHA that names each fall exposure and its control.
• Pre-shift records showing the crew reviewed it.
• Fall protection training certifications (see section 5).
• A written rescue procedure.
• Inspection records for guardrails, covers, and anchorages.
• Observations and corrective actions when someone spots an open edge.

2. Ladders (1926.1053)

The violation. Ladders that don't extend high enough, are used the wrong way, or are damaged and still in use. Ladders ranked fifth on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list and second in roofing in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• Portable ladders used to reach an upper landing that don't extend at least 3 feet above it and aren't secured at the top with a grab rail ((b)(1)).
• Ladders used for something other than what they were designed for ((b)(4)).
• Stepladders with someone standing on the top or top step ((b)(13)).
• No competent-person inspections for visible defects, done periodically and after anything that could affect safe use ((b)(15)).
• Ladders with broken rungs, split rails, or other defects that aren't tagged "Do Not Use" or marked defective and pulled from service ((b)(16)).

What contractors should do. Choose the right ladder for the task, and stop treating stepladders as extension ladders. Assign a competent person to check ladders, tag and remove the defective ones the same day, and train workers before they use ladders. Training is required by 1926.1060.

What documentation should exist.

• Competent-person ladder inspections.
• Removal-from-service tags or a defect log.
• Ladder training records.
• Observations and corrective actions.

3. Scaffolding (1926.451)

The violation. Scaffolds without fall protection, safe access, full planking, or a competent person's inspection. Scaffolding climbed to fourth on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list, and it was the most-cited standard in nonresidential building construction in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• Workers more than 10 feet above a lower level without fall protection ((g)(1)).
• No safe access when platforms are more than 2 feet above or below the access point ((e)(1)).
• No competent-person inspection for visible defects before each shift ((f)(3)).
• Scaffolds erected, moved, dismantled, or altered without a competent person's supervision ((f)(7)).
• Workers on scaffolds who haven't been trained by a qualified person in the hazards of the scaffold type they're using (1926.454).

What contractors should do. Name the competent person for each scaffold, have them inspect before every shift and after anything that could affect its integrity, and fix or remove damaged parts immediately. Provide ladders, stair towers, or other safe access, and train every worker who uses the scaffold, not just the erectors.

What documentation should exist.

• The competent person's designation.
• Pre-shift inspection records or tags.
• Scaffold training records for every worker who uses it.
• Observations and corrective actions.

4. Fall Protection Training (1926.503)

The violation. Workers exposed to falls who weren't trained to recognize the hazards and use the systems, or training with no written certification behind it. It ranked eighth on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list, and third in roofing in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• A training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards ((a)(1)).
• A written certification record with each trained employee's name or other identity, the training dates, and the signature of the trainer or the employer ((b)(1)).
• Retraining when the employer has reason to believe a worker doesn't have the understanding or skill the training is supposed to provide ((c)).

What contractors should do. Train before the first exposure, not after the first inspection. Certify every worker in writing. Retrain when the work changes, the equipment changes, or a worker shows they don't understand it.

What documentation should exist.

• A written certification for every worker exposed to falls, including subcontractors' workers.
• Retraining records.
• A way to check certifications at the gate before someone goes up.

5. Eye, Face, and Head Protection (1926.102 and 1926.100)

The violation. Workers without eye or face protection around flying particles, chemicals, or welding light, or without hard hats where there's a risk of head injury. Eye and face protection ranked ninth on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list. Head protection was cited 383 times in roofing alone in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• Eye and face protection wherever workers are exposed to flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or injurious light radiation (1926.102(a)(1)), with side protection against flying objects.
• Protective helmets wherever there's a possible danger of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock and burns (1926.100(a)).

What contractors should do. Set the PPE rule for the site at orientation, hand it out at the gate, and enforce it in the moment. Cutting, grinding, nailing, and overhead work are where inspectors look first.

What documentation should exist.

• Orientation records that cover the site's PPE rules.
• Pre-shift records for tasks with eye or head hazards.
• Observations and corrective actions when someone's out of PPE.

6. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)

The violation. No written hazard communication program, unlabeled containers, missing safety data sheets, or workers never trained on the chemicals they use. It ranked second on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list for all industries. It applies to construction through 1926.59, which adopts 1910.1200 word for word.

What OSHA looks for.

• A written program at each workplace that describes how labels, safety data sheets, and training will be handled ((e)(1)).
• Labels on containers.
• Safety data sheets that workers can get to.
• Effective training at initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard comes onto the work area ((h)(1)).

What contractors should do. Keep a chemical inventory for each site, collect safety data sheets as products arrive, label secondary containers, and train crews on new products before they open them. On multi-employer sites, swap chemical information with the other trades.

What documentation should exist.

• The written program.
• The site's chemical inventory and safety data sheets.
• Training records.
• Proof the information was shared with other employers on site.

7. Respiratory Protection and Silica (1910.134 and 1926.1153)

The violation. Respirators used with no written program, no medical evaluation, or no fit test, and silica work done without the required controls or plan. Respiratory protection ranked sixth on OSHA's preliminary fiscal year 2026 list. Silica was the most-cited standard in highway, street, and bridge construction in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• A written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures wherever respirators are necessary or required (1910.134(c)(1)).
• Medical evaluations before use ((e)).
• Fit tests before first use, whenever the facepiece changes, and at least annually ((f)(2)).
• For silica: the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection that Table 1 specifies for each task, fully and properly implemented (1926.1153(c)).
• A written exposure control plan ((g)(1)).
• A designated competent person to make frequent and regular inspections ((g)(4)).
• Medical surveillance for workers required to wear a respirator 30 or more days a year ((h)(1)).

What contractors should do. Match every silica task to its Table 1 line, or assess exposure if you're not following Table 1. Keep tools' water and vacuum controls working. Give every respirator user a medical evaluation before their first fit test or first use, and fit-test tight-fitting respirators again every year.

What documentation should exist.

• The written respiratory program.
• Medical clearances and fit-test records, by worker and date.
• The silica exposure control plan.
• Competent-person inspections.
• Records showing which Table 1 controls were used on which task.

8. Excavations and Trenching (1926.651 and 1926.652)

The violation. Trenches without cave-in protection, safe exits, or a competent person's daily inspection. In fiscal year 2025, protective systems and specific excavation requirements were the two most-cited standards in utility system construction, with 204 and 197 citations.

What OSHA looks for.

• Cave-in protection, unless the excavation is in stable rock or less than 5 feet deep with no indication of a cave-in (1926.652(a)(1)).
• A ladder, stairway, ramp, or other safe exit within 25 feet of lateral travel in trenches 4 feet or deeper (1926.651(c)(2)).
• Spoils and equipment kept at least 2 feet from the edge, or held back ((j)(2)).
• Daily competent-person inspections before work starts and as needed through the shift ((k)(1)).
• The tabulated data or engineering design for the protective system, kept at the jobsite while the system is being built (1926.652).

What contractors should do. Never let anyone into an unprotected trench 5 feet or deeper. Have the competent person inspect every day before entry and after rain or anything else that changes conditions, and keep the design data with the crew.

What documentation should exist.

• The competent person's designation.
• Daily inspection records.
• The protective system's tabulated data or engineer's design on site.
• Pre-task plans for each excavation.

9. Aerial Lifts (1926.453)

The violation. Unauthorized operators, controls never tested, and workers in the basket without a lanyard tied off to the boom or basket. Aerial lifts ranked third in both nonresidential and commercial building construction in fiscal year 2025.

What OSHA looks for.

• Lift controls tested each day before use (1926.453(b)(2)(i)).
• Only authorized persons operating ((b)(2)(ii)).
• No belting off to an adjacent pole or structure ((b)(2)(iii)).
• Workers standing firmly on the basket floor ((b)(2)(iv)).
• A lanyard attached to the boom or basket ((b)(2)(v)).

What contractors should do. Authorize operators by name after training, test the controls every morning, and treat the tie-off rule as non-negotiable.

What documentation should exist.

• Operator training and authorization records.
• Daily pre-use control tests.
• Observations and corrective actions.

10. Safety Programs and Training (1926.20 and 1926.21)

The violation. No safety program in practice, no frequent and regular inspections by competent persons, or workers never instructed in the hazards of their work. Both standards appear in the fiscal year 2025 tables for nearly every construction sector.

What OSHA looks for.

• Frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment by competent persons the employer designates (1926.20(b)(2)).
• Instruction for each employee in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions and the rules that apply to their work (1926.21(b)(2)).

What contractors should do. Make the program visible at the field level. That means a site orientation for every worker, competent persons named in writing, scheduled site inspections, and toolbox talks that cover the work actually happening that week.

What documentation should exist.

• Orientation records.
• Competent-person designations.
• Site inspection records.
• Toolbox talk attendance.
• Pre-shift sign-offs.

11. Abatement Certification (1903.19)

The violation. Not certifying to OSHA that a cited hazard was corrected. It's a paperwork citation that follows an earlier inspection, and in fiscal year 2025 it was cited 489 times in roofing alone.

What OSHA looks for. Certification within 10 calendar days after each abatement date that each cited violation was corrected, with the date and method of abatement.

What contractors should do. Track every citation item to closure, fix it by the abatement date, and send the certification on time.

What documentation should exist.

• The citation.
• The corrective action, with dates, photos, and who did it.
• A copy of the certification sent to OSHA.

The Documentation Matrix

Most of these violations get found on the walk. Whether they turn into one citation or five often depends on what the employer can show afterward.

On AECOM Tishman's 21-story tower at 729 Second Avenue, SafetyClerk recorded 36,129 pre-shift sign-offs and 4,572 toolbox talk acknowledgments across 52 subcontractors and 1,140 workers over 18 months, all digital.

Each trade's JHAs feed the pre-task plan automatically, so the foreman starts the day with the task's hazards and controls, and the record shows which plan covered which work.

What OSHA Fines Cost in 2026

OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026, so the 2025 maximums still apply:

Fall protection carried more proposed penalties than any other standard in fiscal year 2025, with paragraph 1926.501(b) alone at $48.4 million across all industries. A repeated violation can carry ten times the serious maximum, which is why a repeat citation can cost far more than the first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common OSHA violation in construction? Fall protection under 1926.501. It has been OSHA's most-cited standard for 16 straight years, and residential construction work at 6 feet or more without guardrails, nets, or personal fall arrest is the single most-cited paragraph.

How much are OSHA fines in construction in 2026? Up to $16,550 per serious violation, $165,514 per willful or repeated violation, and $16,550 per day for failure to abate. OSHA made no inflation increase for 2026.

Which construction trades get cited the most? In federal OSHA's fiscal year 2025 data, roofing contractors drew 10,644 citations across 4,267 inspections, far more than any other construction sector in this guide, mostly for fall protection, ladders, training, and eye protection.

Can missing paperwork get you cited? Yes. Fall protection training requires a written certification, hazard communication requires a written program, respirator users need documented fit tests, and an employer that doesn't certify abatement after a citation can be cited for that too.

How do I see what my trade gets cited for? Use OSHA's Frequently Cited OSHA Standards tool and search by your NAICS code. It shows each standard cited, the number of citations and inspections, and current penalties.

How often does this list change? Very little. The standards on OSHA's Top 10 were the same in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, with only the order changing.

This guide uses federal OSHA data and isn't legal advice. States with their own OSHA-approved plans enforce their own standards and publish their own data.

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