Regulation library · 29 CFR 1926
OSHA 1926: the rulebook for the most-cited industry in America.
Part 1926 governs construction work — and it's where OSHA enforcement concentrates. Fall Protection (§1926.501) has been the #1 most-cited standard in all of OSHA for more than a decade, with 5,914 violations in FY2025 alone.
Key sections at a glance
§1926.501
Fall Protection — Duty to Have
§1926.503
Fall Protection Training
§1926.451
Scaffolding — General Requirements
§1926.1053
Ladders
§1926.102
Eye & Face Protection
§1926.651
Excavations — Specific Requirements
§1926.405
Electrical — Wiring Methods
§1926.20
General Safety & Health Provisions
What 29 CFR 1926 covers
Part 1926 addresses construction-specific hazards subpart by subpart: general safety and health provisions and training (Subparts C and D), personal protective equipment (Subpart E), fire protection (Subpart F), signs and barricades (Subpart G), material handling (Subpart H), tools (Subpart I), welding (Subpart J), electrical (Subpart K), scaffolds (Subpart L), fall protection (Subpart M), cranes and derricks (Subparts N and CC), excavations (Subpart P), concrete and masonry (Subpart Q), steel erection (Subpart R), ladders and stairways (Subpart X), and confined spaces in construction (Subpart AA), among others.
"Construction work" means construction, alteration, and repair — including painting and decorating. That definition pulls in far more employers than general contractors: a property manager re-roofing a building, a manufacturer renovating a line, or a utility crew trenching for cable are all doing 1926 work while it lasts.
The Focus Four and the citation leaders
OSHA's construction enforcement is organized around the Focus Four hazards that drive most fatalities: falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution. That emphasis shows up directly in the citation data — in FY2025, five of OSHA's ten most-cited standards across all industries were construction standards: Fall Protection (§1926.501, #1), Ladders (§1926.1053, #3), Scaffolding (§1926.451, #6), Fall Protection Training (§1926.503, #7), and Eye & Face Protection (§1926.102, #9).
The practical takeaway: if your crews work at height, on ladders, or on scaffolds, the standards governing that work are statistically the ones an inspector will check first. Each has a dedicated RegLogic guide.
Reading 1926 in RegLogic
Construction standards are dense with exceptions — residential provisions, infeasibility carve-outs, equipment-specific rules. RegLogic's color-coded outline formatting keeps requirements and exceptions visually distinct, and Letters of Interpretation (like the letters defining "residential construction" under §1926.501(b)(13)) attach directly to the sections they interpret. On a jobsite with no signal, the GR Reader app keeps the full part available offline.
Read OSHA 1926 — searchable, color-coded, always current — in RegLogic.
Start HereFAQ
Common questions
What counts as construction work under 1926?
Construction, alteration, and repair — including painting and decorating. Maintenance activities can cross into construction depending on scope; several OSHA Letters of Interpretation address where that line falls.
At what height is fall protection required in construction?
Generally 6 feet above a lower level (§1926.501(b)(1)), versus 4 feet in general industry. Scaffolds and steel erection have their own trigger heights — 10 feet and 15-30 feet respectively.
Why is fall protection cited so often?
Falls are the leading cause of construction fatalities, so OSHA prioritizes it in inspections — and violations are visible from the street. An inspector can see an unprotected edge before setting foot on site. §1926.501 logged 5,914 federal citations in FY2025.
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