Compliance Risk Index / OSHA
Respirable Crystalline Silica (Construction)
29 CFR 1926.1153
Data coverage: 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30 · Source: US DOL Open Data Portal
3,848
citations, 2023–2026
82.1%
Serious/Willful/Repeat
$4,297
average initial penalty
95.8%
at establishments under 100 employees
3,848 citations is enough real volume to say this standard gets enforced often, not just written. 82.1% 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 $4,297, and 95.8% 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 Silica Competent Person →Real practice questions on 29 CFR 1926.1153
What must a written exposure control plan describe?
1926.1153(g)(1)
Under the silica standard, what makes someone a "competent person"?
1926.1153(b): Competent person, definition
What specific duty does 1926.1153(g)(4) assign to a designated competent person?
1926.1153(g)(4)
Other standards on Silica 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 1926.1153?
3,848 real citations from 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30, sourced from the US DOL Open Data Portal.
What share of 29 CFR 1926.1153 citations are classified Serious, Willful, or Repeat?
82.1% 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.