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Construction (29 CFR 1926)
Training (Confined Spaces in Construction)
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
29 CFR 1926.1207
29 CFR 1926.1207 is the training requirement of Subpart AA. Employers must train every employee whose work is regulated by the confined-space standard (entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors) at no cost, so they have the understanding, knowledge, and skills to perform their duties safely. Training must be provided before initial assignment and again when duties or permit-space conditions change.
29 CFR 1926.1207 at a glance
Who
Every employee whose work is regulated by the confined-space standard
Cost
Training must be at no cost to the employee
When
Before initial assignment, and when duties or permit-space hazards change
Standard
Understanding, knowledge, and skills to perform assigned duties safely
Records
Training certification (name, trainer identity, dates) required
Max penalty (2026)
$16,550 per serious violation; $165,514 per willful
What 29 CFR 1926.1207 requires (plain English)
29 CFR 1926.1207 is the training provision of Subpart AA: Confined Spaces in Construction. It requires the employer to provide training so that each employee whose work is regulated by the standard: authorized entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors, has the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary to safely perform the duties assigned to them.
Training must be provided at no cost to the employee and must occur before the employee is first assigned duties under the standard; before there is a change in assigned duties; whenever there is a change in permit-space operations that presents a hazard the employee has not been trained for; and whenever the employer believes there are deviations from procedures or gaps in the employee's knowledge. The training must establish proficiency and introduce new or revised procedures as needed.
The employer must also keep training records. Under §1926.1207(c), the employer maintains training records showing each trained employee's name, the trainer's name or identity, and the dates of training, so that proper training can be verified. Because roles in a permit-space entry are interdependent, the attendant's competence protects the entrant, training every role is essential to the whole program working.
The regulatory text
“The employer must provide training to each employee whose work is regulated by this standard, at no cost to the employee, and ensure that the employee possesses the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this standard.”
29 CFR 1926.1207(a)
Key facts about 29 CFR 1926.1207
Every worker regulated by the confined-space standard must be trained (1926.1207(a)).
Training must be at no cost to the employee.
It must be provided before initial assignment of confined-space duties.
Re-training is required when duties or permit-space hazards change.
Training covers entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors for their roles.
Training must establish proficiency, not just be delivered.
Training certification records (name, trainer, dates) must be kept (§1926.1207(c)).
Scope: who 29 CFR 1926.1207 applies to
Regulatory framework
Construction (29 CFR 1926)
Citation reference
29 CFR 1926.1207
Enforcement status
In force and enforced
Jurisdiction
Federal OSHA (29 State-Plan jurisdictions may be stricter)
State-Plan states (e.g. California, Washington, Michigan) operate OSHA-approved programs that must be at least as effective as federal OSHA and frequently impose higher penalties or additional requirements. Confirm the rule as adopted in your state.
Key requirements of 29 CFR 1926.1207
#
Employer obligation
1
Train each worker before first entry
2
Cover duties and hazards of their role
3
Retrain when conditions or procedures change
4
Maintain training records
5
Training by competent person
Summarized from the text of 29 CFR 1926.1207. Always read the full regulation for the binding language.
Common Confined Space Training (Construction) violations
Deficiencies OSHA cites under 29 CFR 1926.1207 include the ones below, in no particular order. Distinct deficiencies can be cited as separate items, and each serious item carries up to $16,550 (2026). Broader per-instance stacking exists but is a discretionary, case-by-case OSHA enforcement policy, not an automatic multiplier.
Assigning confined-space duties before the employee is trained (1926.1207(a)/(b)).
No re-training when duties or permit-space hazards change (1926.1207(b)).
Charging employees for required training (1926.1207(a)).
No training certification records (name, trainer, dates): 1926.1207(c).
Training that does not establish actual proficiency for the assigned role (1926.1207(a)).
Every role must be trained for its own duties: a warm body cannot just "stand watch"
A dangerous shortcut is posting an untrained worker as an attendant to "just watch the hole." Confined-space roles are specialized: the attendant must know how to monitor entrants, maintain continuous communication, recognize the signs of a problem, order evacuation, summon rescue, and, critically, NOT enter to attempt rescue themselves. 1926.1207 requires that each entrant, attendant, and entry supervisor be trained in their specific duties before the entry, at no cost, with proficiency established. An attendant who has not been trained is not a compliant attendant, and OSHA cites it, because in an emergency an untrained attendant is exactly when the second fatality happens.
What OSHA inspectors look for
A compliance officer checks that entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors were trained for their specific roles before they worked in permit spaces, that training was at no cost, and that training certification records (name, trainer, dates) exist. Untrained attendants and missing training records are common findings.
Example: how a violation is cited
A worker is posted as a confined-space attendant with no training on monitoring entrants, communication, or summoning rescue. When an entrant is overcome, the attendant does not know the procedure. OSHA cites 1926.1207 for the failure to train, with penalties from $16,550.
Illustrative example, not a specific OSHA case.
Confined Space Training (Construction) compliance checklist
Use this to evaluate your compliance with 29 CFR 1926.1207. Each item is a key requirement OSHA may verify during an inspection.
Train each entrant, attendant, and entry supervisor for their specific duties.
Provide the training at no cost to the employee.
Train before initial assignment and before any change in duties.
Re-train when permit-space operations change or knowledge gaps appear.
Ensure training establishes proficiency, not just attendance.
Keep training certification records (employee name, trainer identity, dates).
2026 penalties for 29 CFR 1926.1207
Maximums set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d). 2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. The 2025 OSHA penalty levels remain in effect for 2026; OSHA made no inflation adjustment for 2026. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these amounts, while OSHA's public penalties page currently references penalties assessed after Jan. 15, 2026.
Violation type
Minimum
Maximum
When it applies
Serious
$1,085
$16,550
Substantial probability of death or serious physical harm.
Other-Than-Serious
$0
$16,550
Relates to safety/health but unlikely to cause death or serious harm.
Willful
$11,823
$165,514
Intentional, knowing, or voluntary disregard of the requirement.
Repeated
$4,256
$165,514
A substantially similar violation cited within the last 5 years.
Failure to Abate
None
$16,550/day
up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6)
Confined-space training failures are cited under Subpart AA and, given the fatality risk, are often serious. Serious violations reach $16,550 and willful or repeat violations $165,514.
Maximums and the willful minimum are set by 29 CFR 1903.15(d); the serious and repeated minimums are OSHA policy floors from its annual penalty adjustment memo. OSHA applies gravity-based and size, good-faith and history reductions (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Estimates only, not legal advice.
The business case for Confined Space Training (Construction) compliance
In a confined-space emergency there is no time to figure out roles: the attendant must instantly know to keep entrants in sight, maintain communication, and call rescue rather than dive in. 1926.1207 makes sure each person can actually perform their role before the entry, which is why it also drives down the rescuer fatalities that make confined spaces so deadly. Untrained workers in permit spaces are a direct path to a multiple-fatality event.
Every employee whose work is regulated by the construction confined-space standard (authorized entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors) must be trained. Under 1926.1207, the employer provides the training at no cost and ensures each employee has the understanding, knowledge, and skills to safely perform their assigned duties.
When must confined-space training be provided?
Before the employee is first assigned confined-space duties; before any change in their assigned duties; whenever permit-space operations change in a way that presents a new hazard; and whenever the employer believes there are deviations from procedures or gaps in the employee's knowledge. Training must establish proficiency, and it must be provided at no cost.
Does an attendant need training?
Yes. An attendant is a role regulated by the standard, so under 1926.1207 the attendant must be trained before serving, on monitoring entrants, maintaining communication, recognizing hazards, ordering evacuation, and summoning rescue without entering the space themselves. Posting an untrained worker as an attendant is a violation and defeats the purpose of the attendant role.
Do I have to keep confined-space training records?
Yes. Under §1926.1207(c), the employer must maintain training records showing each trained employee's name, the name or identity of the trainer, and the dates of training. These records let the employer and OSHA verify that entrants, attendants, and supervisors were properly trained before working in permit spaces.
Regulatory history of 29 CFR 1926.1207
1926.1207 was issued as part of Subpart AA: Confined Spaces in Construction, effective August 3, 2015 (80 FR 25366). Before Subpart AA, construction confined-space protection was essentially a single training requirement; the new subpart kept a robust training provision but embedded it in a full permit-space program covering testing, monitoring, attendants, and rescue.
Related glossary terms
Key terms that appear in 29 CFR 1926.1207, each with a full plain-English explainer.
OSHA figures on this page are imported from HazComFast's verified regulatory module (verified 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register).
This page is an educational summary, not legal advice. OSHA standards and penalty amounts change; confirm requirements against the current regulation and your applicable State-Plan before acting.
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.