In Pennsylvania, 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 · Pennsylvania
Scaffolding Requirements in Pennsylvania
Scaffolding in Pennsylvania: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.451, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
PennsylvaniaConstruction (29 CFR 1926)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 148 times in Pennsylvania construction (11.9% of its construction citations there, the 2nd most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1926.451(g)(1) with 20 citations.
148
1926.451 citations in Pennsylvania construction, FY2025
(g)(1)
paragraph cited most in Pennsylvania (20 citations)
11.9
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Pennsylvania, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Pennsylvania: 29 CFR 1926.451, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-26148
citations of 29 CFR 1926.451 in 72 inspections
$866,386
penalties, current amounts ($973,726 as first proposed)
11.9%
of the 1,245 federal construction citations in Pennsylvania
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 148 times in inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers. It ranked second of the 79 standards cited in them. By classification: 105 serious, 7 repeat, 3 willful, 33 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1926.451(g)(1) (20), 1926.451(g)(1)(vii) (18), 1926.451(b)(1) (18).
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 Fall Hazards in the Construction Industry
2023-01 (CPL 04) · Philadelphia Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023 · expires September 30, 2028
“This Instruction applies to all Area Offices in Region III.”
Fall hazards are the named target across every area office in Region III, and the directive says why in its own background: the Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 393 deaths from falls to a lower level in construction in 2021, up from 321 in 2018. The program runs to September 30, 2028. A fall-protection citation in this region is more likely to come from a scheduled inspection than from a complaint.
Regional Emphasis Program for Demolition Activities and Gut Rehabilitation
2023-07 (CPL 04) · Philadelphia Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“This Instruction applies to all worksites located within the jurisdiction of the Region III, Philadelphia, Charleston, Wilkes-Barre, Erie, Allentown, Baltimore/Washington, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh Area Offices.”
Demolition and gut rehabilitation carry their own programmed-inspection program, aimed at the destruction and renovation of fixed buildings and structures. The area offices are named individually (Philadelphia, Charleston, Wilkes-Barre, Erie, Allentown, Baltimore/Washington, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh), so the reach is Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District through the Baltimore/Washington office.
Falls and work deaths in Pennsylvania, 2024
Pennsylvania recorded 185 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 169 in 2023. Falls, slips and trips caused 48 of them (26%). Construction accounted for 48, 24 of them from falls, slips and trips.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Pennsylvania, 2024
How Pennsylvania Enforces 29 CFR 1926.451
Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 went most often to Masonry Contractors (55) and Framing Contractors (25). 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 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 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) |
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 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 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 1926.451 are on the 29 CFR 1926.451 page.
Most-Cited Scaffolding Paragraphs in Pennsylvania, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 148 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Pennsylvania construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1926.451(g)(1) 20 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 …”
- 2
1926.451(b)(1) 18 citations
“Each platform on all working levels of scaffolds shall be fully planked or decked between the front uprights and the guardrail supports as follows:”
- 3
1926.451(g)(1)(vii) 18 citations
“For all scaffolds not otherwise specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) through (g)(1)(vi) of this section, each employee shall be protected by the use of personal fall arrest systems or …”
- 4
1926.451(e)(1) 14 citations
“When scaffold platforms are more than 2 feet (0.6 m) above or below a point of access, portable ladders, hook-on ladders, attachable ladders, stair towers (scaffold stairways/towers), stairway-type …”
- 5
1926.451(g)(4)(i) 13 citations
“Guardrail systems shall be installed along all open sides and ends of platforms. Guardrail systems shall be installed before the scaffold is released for use by employees other …”
- 6
1926.451(f)(3) 7 citations
“Scaffolds and scaffold components shall be inspected for visible defects by a competent person before each work shift, and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold's structural …”
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
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).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.451 in Pennsylvania, FY2025: Masonry Contractors (55), Framing Contractors (25) and Roofing Contractors (9), of 148 citations.
- 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. 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 Pennsylvania
Which Pennsylvania construction trades are cited most under Scaffolding?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 148 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 to Pennsylvania construction employers, most often to Masonry Contractors (55), Framing Contractors (25) and Roofing Contractors (9) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Pennsylvania has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 1,245 citations across 546 inspections of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Pennsylvania out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 1,245 citations across 546 inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers, 148 of them under 29 CFR 1926.451 (HazComFast count). A Scaffolding citation in Pennsylvania can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Pennsylvania's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces scaffolding rules (1926.451) on Pennsylvania construction sites?
Federal OSHA. Pennsylvania has no State Plan, so a U.S. Department of Labor compliance officer from OSHA's Philadelphia region 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 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 1926.451 in Pennsylvania construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.451 (Scaffolding) 148 times in 72 inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers, with $866,386 in penalties at current amounts ($973,726 as first proposed), 11.9% of the 1,245 citations those inspections produced. It ranked second of the 79 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 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.
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