In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation in 2026, rising to $70,000 for a willful or repeat violation. Fall Protection is enforced for private construction employers by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA). Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline.
29 CFR 1926.501 · Tennessee
Fall Protection Requirements in Tennessee
Fall Protection in Tennessee: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1926.501, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
TennesseeConstruction (29 CFR 1926)State Plan: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)State-set maximums
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1926.501 115 times in Tennessee construction (9.2% of its construction citations there, the standard it cited most). The paragraph cited most was 1926.501(b)(1), unprotected sides and edges, with 37 citations.
115
1926.501 citations in Tennessee construction, FY2025
(b)(1)
paragraph cited most in Tennessee (37 citations)
10.2
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Tennessee, 2024 (BLS)
Tennessee 29 CFR 1926.501 Enforcement, FY2025
Verified · 2026-08-08115
citations of 29 CFR 1926.501 (FY2025)
$258,706
penalties for this standard
9.2%
of the state's 1,249 construction citations
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) 115 times on Tennessee construction jobsites with $258,706 in penalties for it (current amounts), about 9.2% of every construction citation the state issued that year. That makes 29 CFR 1926.501 the single most-cited construction standard in Tennessee in FY2025.
What Tennessee's own rule says
“The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development adopts the federal occupational safety and health standards codified in Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1926, as of July 1, 2008 except as provided in Rule 0800-1-6-.03 of this chapter.”
Tennessee's construction chapter adopts Part 1926 by reference and states the date it adopted: July 1, 2008, as published in the chapter carrying a June 2008 revision. Four sections are not taken up: 1926.1 through 1926.4, the federal purpose, variance, right-of-entry and adjudication provisions, which Tennessee replaces with its own procedural rules. The chapter also fixes the citation convention: a TOSHA citation uses the federal designation, and only where adoption departs from the current CFR does it cite the Federal Register or the state rule instead.
29 CFR 1926.501 as adopted by 0800-1-6-.02, with 1926.1 to 1926.4 excludedThe duty matches the federal text. Only the citation number differs.
Falls and work deaths in Tennessee, 2024
Tennessee recorded 155 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 164 in 2023. Falls, slips and trips caused 23 of them (15%). Construction accounted for 29, 9 of them from falls, slips and trips.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Tennessee, 2024
How Tennessee Enforces 29 CFR 1926.501
Tennessee runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Tennessee's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is 29 CFR 1926.501 as adopted by 0800-1-6-.02, with 1926.1 to 1926.4 excluded. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1926.501 115 times in Tennessee construction in FY2025 (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Tennessee also sets its own civil-penalty maximums, below the federal baseline (see the penalty table below).
In Tennessee, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 went most often to Framing Contractors (37) and Roofing Contractors (20). 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.
HazComFast records the state of every jobsite and shows that the Tennessee State Plan governs it. Start free
Help and oversight in Tennessee
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Tennessee, the program is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). 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.
Tennessee consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Tennessee Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1926.501 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $7,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Willful | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Repeat | $70,000 | Tennessee state maximum |
| Failure to abate | State schedule | Tennessee publishes its own failure-to-abate amount; see the state schedule |
Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
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 Tennessee: Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) can add requirements beyond the federal standard above, so check its own rules as well.
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 Tennessee, FY2025
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 115 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 to Tennessee construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $7,000.
- 1
1926.501(b)(1) Unprotected sides and edges. 37 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 …”
- 2
1926.501(b)(13) Residential construction. 33 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 …”
- 3
1926.501(b)(11) Steep roofs. 10 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 …”
- 4
1926.501(b)(14) Wall openings. 10 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 …”
- 5
1926.501(b)(4)(ii) 10 citations
“Each employee on a walking/working surface shall be protected from tripping in or stepping into or through holes (including skylights) by covers.”
- 6
1926.501(b)(4)(i) 9 citations
“Each employee on walking/working surfaces shall be protected from falling through holes (including skylights) more than 6 feet (1.8 m) above lower levels, by personal fall arrest systems, …”
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
Tennessee Safety & Enforcement Profile
1,249
FY2025 construction citations
Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Tennessee, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (77), Framing Contractors (48) and Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (37), out of 439 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1926.501 in Tennessee, FY2025: Framing Contractors (37), Roofing Contractors (20) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (19), of 115 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Tennessee, 2024: 10.2 per 100,000 full-time workers, 14th 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 Fall Protection Compliance Tools
Fall Protection FAQ for Tennessee
What are the penalties for 29 CFR 1926.501 violations in Tennessee in 2026?
In Tennessee, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1926.501 carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per violation, and a willful or repeat violation up to $70,000. Tennessee sets its own maximums, below the federal baseline. Tennessee (TCA §50-3-403) has not adopted OSHA's post-2016 penalty increases: it caps serious violations at $7,000 and willful/repeat at $70,000, well below the federal amounts. Each distinct violation can be cited as its own item. (Source: T.C.A. §50-3-403; verified 2026-10-05.)
Which Tennessee construction trades are cited most under Fall Protection?
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 115 citations under 29 CFR 1926.501 to Tennessee construction employers, most often to Framing Contractors (37), Roofing Contractors (20) and Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (19) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. For context, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) issued 1,249 construction citations across 360 inspections in FY2025. Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1926.501 on a recurring basis.
How often is Fall Protection cited on Tennessee jobsites?
In FY2025, Tennessee's state plan (Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA)) issued 1,249 construction citations across 360 inspections (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23). Fall Protection can be cited during any of them: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Tennessee's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces fall protection (1926.501) on Tennessee construction sites?
TOSHA, the Tennessee OSHA program under the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, not federal OSHA. Tennessee runs a full OSHA-approved State Plan, so a state compliance officer inspects and cites 29 CFR 1926.501 on private jobsites, 115 times in FY2025 construction, more than any other standard.
How does contesting a Tennessee fall-protection citation work?
Because Tennessee runs its own plan, a contested citation is heard through the state's review process rather than the federal OSHRC.
Can I get free OSHA help in Tennessee without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Tennessee is TOSHA Consultation (Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development). 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 Tennessee cite 29 CFR 1926.501 in construction?
In FY2025, Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) cited 29 CFR 1926.501 (Fall Protection) 115 times on Tennessee construction jobsites, with $258,706 in penalties for that standard alone (current amounts), about 9.2% of the 1,249 construction citations the state issued that year. (Source: OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23; verified 2026-08-08.)
Fall Protection Guides & Resources
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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 Tennessee
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.
Serious violation, Tennessee
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