In Louisiana, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Scaffolding is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1926.451 · Louisiana
Scaffolding Requirements in Louisiana
Scaffolding in Louisiana: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.451, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
LouisianaConstruction (29 CFR 1926)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 20 times in Louisiana construction (12.4% of its construction citations there, the 2nd most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1926.451(b)(2) with 6 citations.
20
1926.451 citations in Louisiana construction, FY2025
(b)(2)
paragraph cited most in Louisiana (6 citations)
13.8
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Louisiana, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Louisiana: 29 CFR 1926.451, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-2620
citations of 29 CFR 1926.451 in 12 inspections
$93,391
penalties, current amounts ($107,832 as first proposed)
12.4%
of the 161 federal construction citations in Louisiana
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 20 times in inspections of Louisiana construction employers. It ranked second of the 32 standards cited in them. By classification: 17 serious, 1 repeat, 2 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1926.451(b)(2) (6), 1926.451(b)(1)(i) (4), 1926.451(g)(1) (3).
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
Falls and work deaths in Louisiana, 2024
Louisiana recorded 96 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 104 in 2023. BLS did not publish a separate 2024 count of deaths from falls, slips and trips for Louisiana. Construction accounted for 21.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Louisiana, 2024
How Louisiana Enforces 29 CFR 1926.451
Louisiana has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1926.451 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
In Louisiana, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 went most often to Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (5) and Masonry Contractors (5). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1926.451, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in Louisiana
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Louisiana, the program is 21(d) Consultation Program (Louisiana Department of Labor - Louisiana Workforce Commission). 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.
Louisiana consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Baton Rouge Area Office (Baton Rouge).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Louisiana Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.451 (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) |
Louisiana 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 Scaffolding Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451
- Design to support 4x intended load
- Provide guardrails on open sides above 10 feet
- Inspect before each shift by competent person
- Train workers on scaffold hazards
- Ensure proper access (ladders, stairways)
- Follow requirements specific to scaffold type
Who enforces it in Louisiana: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Louisiana has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1926.451 are on the 29 CFR 1926.451 page.
Most-Cited Scaffolding Paragraphs in Louisiana, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 20 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Louisiana construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1926.451(b)(2) 6 citations
“Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (b)(2)(ii) of this section, each scaffold platform and walkway shall be at least 18 inches (46 cm) wide.”
- 2
1926.451(b)(1)(i) 4 citations
“Each platform unit (e.g., scaffold plank, fabricated plank, fabricated deck, or fabricated platform) shall be installed so that the space between adjacent units and the space between the …”
- 3
1926.451(g)(1) 3 citations
“Each employee on a scaffold more than 10 feet (3.1 m) above a lower level shall be protected from falling to that lower level. Paragraphs (g)(1) (i) through …”
- 4
1926.451(e)(9)(iv) 2 citations
“Cross braces on tubular welded frame scaffolds shall not be used as a means of access or egress.”
- 5
1926.451(b)(2)(ii) 1 citation
“Where scaffolds must be used in areas that the employer can demonstrate are so narrow that platforms and walkways cannot be at least 18 inches (46 cm) wide, …”
- 6
1926.451(b)(3) 1 citation
“Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(3) (i) and (ii) of this section, the front edge of all platforms shall not be more than 14 inches (36 cm) from …”
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
Louisiana Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
161 of them in Louisiana (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Louisiana, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (49), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (11) and Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (11), out of 147 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.451 in Louisiana, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (5), Masonry Contractors (5) and Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (3), of 20 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Louisiana, 2024: 13.8 per 100,000 full-time workers, 5th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 5.1).
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 Scaffolding Compliance Tools
Scaffolding FAQ for Louisiana
Which Louisiana construction trades are cited most under Scaffolding?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 20 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Louisiana construction employers, most often to Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (5), Masonry Contractors (5) and Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (3) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Louisiana has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 161 citations across 82 inspections of Louisiana construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.451 on a recurring basis.
How often is Scaffolding cited on Louisiana jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Louisiana out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 161 citations across 82 inspections of Louisiana construction employers, 20 of them under 29 CFR 1926.451 (HazComFast count). A Scaffolding citation in Louisiana can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Louisiana's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces scaffolding rules (1926.451) on Louisiana construction sites?
Federal OSHA. Louisiana has no State Plan, so a U.S. Department of Labor compliance officer from OSHA's Baton Rouge Area Office inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.451 directly at the federal penalty maximums. A serious violation carries up to $16,550, and separate hazardous conditions can each be cited as separate items.
Can I get free OSHA help in Louisiana without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Louisiana is 21(d) Consultation Program (Louisiana Department of Labor - Louisiana Workforce Commission). 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 1926.451 in Louisiana construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 20 times in 12 inspections of Louisiana construction employers, with $93,391 in penalties at current amounts ($107,832 as first proposed), 12.4% of the 161 citations those inspections produced. It ranked second of the 32 standards cited. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Scaffolding Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Scaffolding in Other States
8 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1926.451 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted by 8 AAC 61.1010(c), with 8 AAC 61.1145 for exposuresCalifornia8 CCR §1637, with railings under §1621(a)own maxHawaiiHAR §12-110-50(b), with the fall restraint anchorage rule at (b)(2)Maryland29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted by COMAR 09.12.31.01, with COMAR 09.12.32.04own maxMichiganMIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 12, R 408.41201, with R 408.41210(2)own maxNevadaNAC 618.507, with the construction project definition at NAC 618.494Oregon29 CFR 1926.451 as adopted, plus OAR 437-003-0071, -0073 and -0074own maxUtah29 CFR 1926.451 as incorporated by R614-1-4.A.4, with R614-1-5.C.3 and C.4own max
Other OSHA Standards in Louisiana
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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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
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