In Pennsylvania, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.132 (PPE General Requirements) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. PPE General Requirements is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1910.132 · Pennsylvania
PPE General Requirements Requirements in Pennsylvania
PPE General Requirements in Pennsylvania: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.132, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
PennsylvaniaGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
On construction work, 29 CFR 1926.95 and 1926.28(a) (Part 1926 Subpart E) govern instead of 29 CFR 1910.132. In Pennsylvania, federal OSHA enforces 29 CFR 1910.132. The federal maximum for a serious violation is $16,550.
$16,550
federal maximum for a serious violation
$165,514
federal maximum for a willful or repeat violation
3.1
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, Pennsylvania, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Pennsylvania: 29 CFR 1910.132, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-263
citations of 29 CFR 1910.132 in 3 inspections
$20,250
penalties, current amounts ($20,168 as first proposed)
0.2%
of the 1,245 federal construction citations in Pennsylvania
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.132 (PPE General Requirements) 3 times in inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers. It ranked 45th of the 79 standards cited in them. By classification: 1 serious, 2 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1910.132(a) (2), 1910.132(f)(1) (1).
NAICS 23 classifies the employer, not the work. 29 CFR 1910.132 does not govern construction work, so these citations do not measure what happens on construction jobsites.
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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania 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 High Level Noise
2023-15 (CPL 4) · Philadelphia Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“This Instruction applies to all Federal Area Offices in Region 3.”
High-level noise is programmed across every federal area office in Region III. Together with the region's fall-hazard program, it covers every federal area office serving the District, Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia: one directive on the construction side, one on the health side.
Contact incidents and work deaths in Pennsylvania, 2024
Pennsylvania recorded 185 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 169 in 2023. Contact incidents caused 26 of them (14%). Construction accounted for 48.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Pennsylvania, 2024
How Pennsylvania Enforces 29 CFR 1910.132
Pennsylvania has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1910.132 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
29 CFR 1910.132 is a general-industry standard and does not govern construction work: a particular Part 1926 standard covers the same ground and prevails over it. 1910.12(a) applies Part 1926 to every employee engaged in construction work, and 1910.5(c)(1) makes a specific standard prevail over a general one. Construction PPE is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E, principally 1926.95, whose paragraph (a) is word-for-word identical to 1910.132(a), together with the duty clause at 1926.28(a). For construction work, the provisions to cite are 1926.95 and 1926.28(a), not 1910.132. A Pennsylvania contractor auditing against 29 CFR 1910.132 is auditing against the wrong standard. The citation an officer writes on a construction site will name the 1926 provision, not this one.
Help and oversight in Pennsylvania
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Pennsylvania, the program is Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation. 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.
Pennsylvania consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Allentown Area Office (Center Valley), the Erie Area Office (Erie), the Harrisburg Area Office (Harrisburg), the Philadelphia Area Office (Philadelphia), the Pittsburgh Area Office (Pittsburgh) and the Wilkes-Barre Area Office (Wilkes-Barre).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Pennsylvania Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.132 (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) |
Pennsylvania 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 PPE General Requirements Requirements 29 CFR 1910.132
- Conduct hazard assessment for PPE
- Select appropriate PPE for identified hazards
- Train employees on proper PPE use and care
- Provide PPE at no cost to employees
- Document hazard assessment in writing
- Maintain PPE in sanitary and reliable condition
Who enforces it in Pennsylvania: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Pennsylvania has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1910.132 are on the 29 CFR 1910.132 page.
What a PPE General Requirements Violation Looks Like
Each item below breaches a specific paragraph of 29 CFR 1910.132. It is a list of requirements, not a ranking. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- No workplace hazard assessment, or no written certification of it (1910.132(d)).
- PPE not provided where the hazard assessment shows it is needed (1910.132(d)(1)).
- Employees not trained on PPE use, limitations, and care (1910.132(f)).
- Requiring employees to pay for required PPE (1910.132(h)).
- PPE that does not fit or is not maintained in a sanitary, reliable condition (1910.132(a)/(e)).
Pennsylvania Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
1,245 of them in Pennsylvania (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Pennsylvania, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (281), Roofing Contractors (257) and Framing Contractors (95), out of 1,354 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Pennsylvania, 2024: 11.9 per 100,000 full-time workers, 10th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.1).
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. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free PPE General Requirements Compliance Tools
PPE General Requirements FAQ for Pennsylvania
Which Pennsylvania industries most often face a PPE General Requirements inspection?
PPE General Requirements inspections reach general-industry employers in Pennsylvania, not the construction trades. Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Pennsylvania has no state plan covering the private sector. A construction employer should not audit against 29 CFR 1910.132: the standard that governs the same work on a jobsite is 29 CFR 1926.95 and 1926.28(a) (Part 1926 Subpart E).
How often is PPE General Requirements cited in Pennsylvania?
29 CFR 1910.132 is enforced against general-industry employers in Pennsylvania, so the construction citation totals published for Pennsylvania (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23) do not measure it. 1910.12(a) applies Part 1926 to every employee engaged in construction work, and 1910.5(c)(1) makes a specific standard prevail over a general one. Construction PPE is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E, principally 1926.95, whose paragraph (a) is word-for-word identical to 1910.132(a), together with the duty clause at 1926.28(a). For construction work, the provisions to cite are 1926.95 and 1926.28(a), not 1910.132. A construction employer should not audit against 29 CFR 1910.132: the standard that governs the same work on a jobsite is 29 CFR 1926.95 and 1926.28(a) (Part 1926 Subpart E).
Can I get free OSHA help in Pennsylvania without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Pennsylvania is Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation. 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 1910.132 in Pennsylvania construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.132 (PPE General Requirements) 3 times in 3 inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers, with $20,250 in penalties at current amounts ($20,168 as first proposed), 0.2% of the 1,245 citations those inspections produced. It ranked 45th of the 79 standards cited. NAICS 23 classifies the employer, not the work: 29 CFR 1910.132 does not govern construction work itself. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
PPE General Requirements Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Related standards
PPE General Requirements in Other States
17 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.132 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska29 CFR 1910.132 as adopted by 8 AAC 61.1010(b), with the substitutions at (e)ArizonaA.A.C. R20-5-602, with the term substitutions at R20-5-606California8 CCR §1514 (construction) and §3380 (general industry)own maxHawaiiHAR §12-60-2(b)(1) and §12-110-2(b)(1)Indiana610 IAC 9-2-8, incorporating 29 CFR 1903.7 to 1903.22 as in effect January 1, 2006own maxIowa481—210.4(88), with the beryllium limits stated in 481—211.2(88)Maryland29 CFR 1910.132 as adopted by COMAR 09.12.31.01, with COMAR 09.12.32 Heat Stress Standardsown maxMichiganMIOSHA Construction Safety Standard Part 6, R 408.40601 to R 408.40636 (payment at R 408.40617a)own max
Other OSHA Standards in Pennsylvania
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.
Get the Binder in Order Before the Inspector Arrives. Are You Ready?
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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