Compliance Risk Index / OSHA
Permit-Required Confined Spaces (General Industry)
29 CFR 1910.146
Data coverage: 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30 · Source: US DOL Open Data Portal
3,230
citations, 2023–2026
86.2%
Serious/Willful/Repeat
$9,390
average initial penalty
77.5%
at establishments under 100 employees
3,230 citations is enough real volume to say this standard gets enforced often, not just written. 86.2% of those citations were classified Serious, Willful, or Repeat by OSHA itself — the categories that carry the heaviest real penalties and the ones a Serious classification is meant to flag as an immediate hazard, not a paperwork gap. The average initial penalty on a cited case was $9,390, and 77.5% of citations landed on establishments the matching inspection recorded at under 100 employees — real exposure for smaller employers under this specific standard, not a general industry-wide claim.
Study Confined Space Competent Person →Real practice questions on 29 CFR 1910.146
How often must employer-designated rescue personnel practice making permit space rescues?
1910.146(k)(2)(iv)
What must an entry supervisor do if conditions arise that are not allowed under the entry permit?
1910.146(j)(3)-(4)
Who is the "entry supervisor" under the permit space standard?
1910.146(b): Entry supervisor, definition
Other standards on Confined Space Competent Person
Source: US DOL Open Data Portal, OSHA Violation + Inspection extracts (data.dol.gov), 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30. Federal 29 CFR citations only — state-plan programs (California, Washington, Oregon, and others) use their own citation codes and aren't included here. Full methodology and every other standard: the Compliance Risk Index.
Frequently asked questions
How many OSHA citations exist under 29 CFR 1910.146?
3,230 real citations from 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30, sourced from the US DOL Open Data Portal.
What share of 29 CFR 1910.146 citations are classified Serious, Willful, or Repeat?
86.2% of citations under this standard carry OSHA's Serious, Willful, or Repeat classification -- the categories reserved for the heaviest real penalties.
Does this data cover state-plan OSHA programs like Cal/OSHA?
No. This covers federal 29 CFR citations only -- California, Washington, Oregon, and other state-plan programs use their own citation codes and are not included here.