Compliance Risk Index / OSHA
Excavations: Requirements for Protective Systems
29 CFR 1926.652
Data coverage: 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30 · Source: US DOL Open Data Portal
2,813
citations, 2023–2026
84.5%
Serious/Willful/Repeat
$14,546
average initial penalty
91.7%
at establishments under 100 employees
2,813 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 $14,546, and 91.7% 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 1926.652
What is the general requirement for protecting employees in an excavation from cave-ins?
1926.652(a)(1)
Under what specific condition can an excavation less than 5 feet deep skip a protective system?
1926.652(a)(1)(ii)
Which of these is one of the four permitted options for designing a sloping or benching protective system?
1926.652(b)(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 1926.652?
2,813 real citations from 2023-01-01 through 2026-07-30, sourced from the US DOL Open Data Portal.
What share of 29 CFR 1926.652 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.