Compliance Risk Index / OSHA
Scaffolds: General Requirements
29 CFR 1926.451
Data coverage: 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30 · Source: US DOL Open Data Portal
11,628
citations, 2023–2026
94.2%
Serious/Willful/Repeat
$5,321
average initial penalty
98.5%
at establishments under 100 employees
11,628 citations is enough real volume to say this standard gets enforced often, not just written. 94.2% 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 $5,321, and 98.5% 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 Scaffold Competent Person →Real practice questions on 29 CFR 1926.451
How often must a competent person inspect scaffolds and scaffold components for visible defects?
1926.451(f)(3)
When an inspection finds a damaged or weakened scaffold component, what must happen to it?
1926.451(f)(4)
Under whose supervision must scaffolds be erected, moved, dismantled, or altered?
1926.451(f)(7)
Other standards on Scaffold 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 1926.451?
11,628 real citations from 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30, sourced from the US DOL Open Data Portal.
What share of 29 CFR 1926.451 citations are classified Serious, Willful, or Repeat?
94.2% 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.