Compliance Risk Index / OSHA
Excavations: Specific Requirements
29 CFR 1926.651
Data coverage: 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30 · Source: US DOL Open Data Portal
3,956
citations, 2023–2026
84.5%
Serious/Willful/Repeat
$8,848
average initial penalty
92.7%
at establishments under 100 employees
3,956 citations is enough real volume to say this standard gets enforced often, not just written. 84.5% 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 $8,848, and 92.7% 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 Excavation Competent Person →Real practice questions on 29 CFR 1926.651
Who must conduct daily inspections of excavations, adjacent areas, and protective systems?
1926.651(k)(1)
What is the daily inspection specifically looking for?
1926.651(k)(1)
Besides before work begins each day, when else must an inspection occur?
1926.651(k)(1)
Other standards on Excavation 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 1926.651?
3,956 real citations from 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30, sourced from the US DOL Open Data Portal.
What share of 29 CFR 1926.651 citations are classified Serious, Willful, or Repeat?
84.5% 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.