29 CFR 1926.850 · Pennsylvania · FY2025
Demolition Prep in Pennsylvania: FY2025 OSHA citations
6 citation items under 29 CFR 1926.850 at inspected sites in Pennsylvania, from 6 inspections.
From Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, the Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data record 6 citation items under 29 CFR 1926.850 at inspected sites in Pennsylvania, in 6 inspections. Among the 141 sections of 29 CFR parts 1904, 1910 and 1926 cited in Pennsylvania that year (3,539 citation items in all), this one ranks 75th by items. These counts describe inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
Paragraphs of 29 CFR 1926.850 cited in Pennsylvania
| Paragraph | Items | Share of the 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 1926.850(a) | 5 | 83% |
| 1926.850(h) | 1 | 17% |
“(a) Prior to permitting employees to start demolition operations, an engineering survey shall be made, by a competent person, of the structure to determine the condition of the framing, floors, and walls, and possibility of unplanned collapse of any portion of the structure. Any adjacent structure where employees may be exposed shall also be similarly checked. The employer shall have in writing evidence that such a survey has been performed.”
“(h) When debris is dropped through holes in the floor without the use of chutes, the area onto which the material is dropped shall be completely enclosed with barricades not less than 42 inches high and not less than 6 feet back from the projected edge of the opening above. Signs, warning of the hazard of falling materials, shall be posted at each level. Removal shall not be permitted in this lower area until debris handling ceases above.”
How the Pennsylvania citations were classified
Of the 6 citation items: 4 serious, 0 willful, 0 repeat and 2 other-than-serious (67% serious).
Who was inspected in Pennsylvania
67% of the 6 inspections with a recorded headcount were at sites with 1 to 10 employees. The headcount is the inspected site's, not the employer's total.
| 1 to 10 | 4 |
| 11 to 25 | 2 |
| Construction | 5 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1 |
| Residential Building Construction | 3 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 1 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 1 |
When the items were issued
By quarter of FY2025: Oct to Dec 2024: 1; Jan to Mar 2025: 3; Apr to Jun 2025: 1; Jul to Sep 2025: 1.
Who enforced in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has no OSHA-approved State Plan, so federal OSHA ordinarily enforces its standards at private workplaces there. All 6 of the items were recorded by federal OSHA offices. OSHA's list of State Plans.
Pennsylvania against the other states
Pennsylvania ranks 1st of the 21 states and DC with items under 29 CFR 1926.850 in this data. The most items: Pennsylvania 6; New York 5; Kentucky 4; Virginia 3; Massachusetts 3. In all, the data record 47 citation items under 29 CFR 1926.850; the 6 in Pennsylvania are 12.8% of them. Penalty maximums: OSHA penalties in Pennsylvania.
Next steps for a Pennsylvania employer
- What the standard says: 29 CFR 1926.850, Demolition Prep
- Free tool: OSHA Fine Calculator
- Free tool: HazCom Audit Checklist
- Free tool: Toolbox Talk Generator
- Software: HazComFast for construction contractors
Counts by HazComFast from the Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data, extracted Oct 13, 2026; deleted items left out, 29 CFR numbers only. They are not figures OSHA publishes for the state, and the live database can change them. Same data source and method as our HazCom enforcement study. Not legal advice.