In Arkansas, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Fall Protection is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1926.501 · Arkansas
Fall Protection Requirements in Arkansas
Fall Protection in Arkansas: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.501, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
ArkansasConstruction (29 CFR 1926)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.501 15 times in Arkansas construction (15.8% of its construction citations there, the standard it cited most). The paragraph cited most was 1926.501(b)(10), roofing work on low-slope roofs, with 6 citations.
15
1926.501 citations in Arkansas construction, FY2025
(b)(10)
paragraph cited most in Arkansas (6 citations)
9.5
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Arkansas, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Arkansas: 29 CFR 1926.501, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-2615
citations of 29 CFR 1926.501 in 13 inspections
$53,974
penalties, current amounts ($67,251 as first proposed)
15.8%
of the 95 federal construction citations in Arkansas
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) 15 times in inspections of Arkansas construction employers. No standard was cited more often in those inspections. By classification: 15 serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1926.501(b)(10) (6), 1926.501(b)(11) (3), 1926.501(b)(1) (2).
Counted by HazComFast from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data (inspection and violation tables, retrieved September 26, 2026): citations issued October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 on federal OSHA inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) in the state, deleted citations excluded, penalties at current amounts. OSHA's own cited-standards tool does not break federal states out; summed over every state, this count matches it within a few citations (6,778 for 1926.501, against 6,772). data.dol.gov
What federal OSHA is targeting in Arkansas
Arkansas has no state OSHA plan for private-sector work, so there is no state rule to read. What differs here is which hazards federal OSHA schedules inspections for, as set out in published emphasis directives.
Regional Emphasis Program for Fall Hazards in Non-Construction
CPL 2 02-00-024B · Dallas Regional Office · effective January 1, 2023
“This Notice applies to all worksites in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, and those worksites in New Mexico that are under Federal OSHA jurisdiction.”
This one is worth reading for what it is not. Fall protection outside construction is programmed separately across the same four states, which means a fall in a warehouse, a plant or a yard is judged against the general industry walking-working surfaces rules in Subpart D, not against 1926.501, and the trigger heights, criteria and citation all differ. Knowing which side of that line the work falls on is the whole question when a job mixes construction and maintenance.
Falls and work deaths in Arkansas, 2024
Arkansas recorded 79 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 92 in 2023. Falls, slips and trips caused 7 of them (9%). Construction accounted for 10.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Arkansas, 2024
How Arkansas Enforces 29 CFR 1926.501
Arkansas has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1926.501 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
In Arkansas, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 went most often to Roofing Contractors (9) and New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (1). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.501, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in Arkansas
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Arkansas, the program is Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing (OSHA Consultation Section). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Little Rock Area Office (Little Rock).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Arkansas Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.501 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,550 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Willful | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Repeat | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Failure to abate | $16,550/day | up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6) |
Arkansas applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Federal OSHA reduces the proposed penalty for employer size, good faith and history (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch. 6). There was no inflation increase for 2026: the 2025 amounts remain in effect (OMB Memo M-26-11).
Key Fall Protection Requirements 29 CFR 1926.501
- Provide fall protection at 6 feet above a lower level: a guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrest system
- Protect workers at unprotected sides/edges, leading edges, hoist areas, ramps, and excavation edges (1926.501(b))
- Cover or guard every floor hole and skylight: protection from falling through above 6 ft, and from stepping in at any height
- Related duties under neighboring standards: system criteria 1926.502, training 1926.503, scaffold fall protection 1926.451(g)
Who enforces it in Arkansas: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Arkansas has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1926.501 are on the 29 CFR 1926.501 page.
Most-Cited Fall Protection Paragraphs in Arkansas, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 15 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 to Arkansas construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1926.501(b)(10) Roofing work on Low-slope roofs. 6 citations
“Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee engaged in roofing activities on low-slope roofs, with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) …”
- 2
1926.501(b)(11) Steep roofs. 3 citations
“Each employee on a steep roof with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems …”
- 3
1926.501(b)(1) Unprotected sides and edges. 2 citations
“Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level …”
- 4
1926.501(b)(13) Residential construction. 2 citations
“Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall …”
- 5
1926.501(b)(14) Wall openings. 2 citations
“Each employee working on, at, above, or near wall openings (including those with chutes attached) where the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is 6 feet (1.8 …”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Arkansas Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
95 of them in Arkansas (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Arkansas, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (9), Roofing Contractors (7) and Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (5), out of 52 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.501 in Arkansas, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (9), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (1) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (1), of 15 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Arkansas, 2024: 9.5 per 100,000 full-time workers, 18th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 6.2).
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), grouped by the cited employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free Fall Protection Compliance Tools
Fall Protection FAQ for Arkansas
Which Arkansas construction trades are cited most under Fall Protection?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 15 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 to Arkansas construction employers, most often to Roofing Contractors (9), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (1) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (1) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Arkansas has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 95 citations across 42 inspections of Arkansas construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.501 on a recurring basis.
How often is Fall Protection cited on Arkansas jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Arkansas out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 95 citations across 42 inspections of Arkansas construction employers, 15 of them under 29 CFR 1926.501 (HazComFast count). A Fall Protection citation in Arkansas can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Arkansas's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces fall protection (1926.501) on Arkansas construction sites?
Federal OSHA. Arkansas has no State Plan, so a U.S. Department of Labor compliance officer from OSHA's Little Rock Area Office inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.501 directly at the federal penalty maximums. Fall protection (1926.501) was the standard federal OSHA cited most in construction inspections in FY2025.
At what height does OSHA require fall protection in Arkansas construction?
Six feet. Under 29 CFR 1926.501, construction employers must protect workers from falls to a lower level of 6 feet or more with guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems. In Arkansas, federal OSHA enforces the 6-foot trigger directly, and OSHA's National Emphasis Program on falls (CPL 03-00-025, effective May 1, 2023) authorizes compliance officers to open an inspection whenever they observe someone working at heights.
Can I get free OSHA help in Arkansas without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Arkansas is Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing (OSHA Consultation Section). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
How often does federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1926.501 in Arkansas construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) 15 times in 13 inspections of Arkansas construction employers, with $53,974 in penalties at current amounts ($67,251 as first proposed), 15.8% of the 95 citations those inspections produced. No standard was cited more often there. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Fall Protection Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Related standards
Fall Protection in Other States
14 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1926.501 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska29 CFR 1926.501 as adopted by 8 AAC 61.1010(c), with 8 AAC 61.1150 for steel erectionCalifornia8 CCR §1670(a), with §1621(a) for railings and §1730 for roofingown maxHawaiiHAR §12-110-3, with the definition of "infeasible" at §12-110-50(b)(1)Kentucky803 KAR 2:412own maxMaryland29 CFR 1926.501 as adopted by COMAR 09.12.31.01, with COMAR 09.12.32.07own maxMichiganMIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 45, R 408.44501 to R 408.44502own maxMinnesota29 CFR 1926.501 as adopted by Minn. R. 5205.0010, subp. 6, with Minn. R. 5207.0250NevadaNRS 618.983 and NRS 618.987 (mandatory OSHA-10 and OSHA-30)
Other OSHA Standards in Arkansas
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
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