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29 CFR 1926.1203: General requirements

Subpart AA—Confined Spaces in Construction

641citations since 2015
417employers cited
61%serious, willful or repeat
$1,176median penalty per item

OSHA has cited 29 CFR 1926.1203 641 times since 2015, against 417 employers. Penalties on these items add up to $1,805,590 at their current amounts.

Citations per year

The parts of the rule cited most

1926.1203(a) · 307 citations

(a) Before it begins work at a worksite, each employer must ensure that a competent person identifies all confined spaces in which one or more of the employees it directs may work, and identifies each space that is a permit space, through consideration and evaluation of the elements of that space, including testing as necessary.

1926.1203(d) · 94 citations

(d) If any employer decides that employees it directs will enter a permit space, that employer must have a written permit space program that complies with § 1926.1204 implemented at the construction site. The written program must be made available prior to and during entry operations for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.

1926.1203(b)(1) · 56 citations

(1) Inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of, and the danger posed by, each permit space; and

1926.1203(e)(2)(iii) · 55 citations

(iii) Before an employee enters the space, the internal atmosphere must be tested, with a calibrated direct-reading instrument, for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and for potential toxic air contaminants, in that order. Any employee who enters the space, or that employee's authorized representative, must be provided an opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing required by this paragraph.

1926.1203(e)(2)(ii) · 27 citations

(ii) When entrance covers are removed, the opening must be immediately guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other temporary barrier that will prevent an accidental fall through the opening and that will protect each employee working in the space from foreign objects entering the space.

1926.1203(e)(2)(ix) · 20 citations

(ix) The employer must verify that the space is safe for entry and that the pre-entry measures required by paragraph (e)(2) of this section have been taken, through a written certification that contains the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person providing the certification. The certification must be made before entry and must be made available to each employee entering the space or to that employee's authorized representative.

1926.1203(e)(2)(vi) · 10 citations

(vi) The atmosphere within the space must be continuously monitored unless the entry employer can demonstrate that equipment for continuous monitoring is not commercially available or periodic monitoring is sufficient. If continuous monitoring is used, the employer must ensure that the monitoring equipment has an alarm that will notify all entrants if a specified atmospheric threshold is achieved, or that an employee will check the monitor with sufficient frequency to ensure that entrants have adequate time to escape. If continuous monitoring is not used, periodic monitoring is required. All monitoring must ensure that the continuous forced air ventilation is preventing the accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere. Any employee who enters the space, or that employee's authorized representative, must be provided with an opportunity to observe the testing required by this paragraph (e)(2)(vi

1926.1203(e)(2)(vb) · 9 citations

(B) The forced air ventilation must be so directed as to ventilate the immediate areas where an employee is or will be present within the space and must continue until all employees have left the space;

Industries cited most

  • Construction 557
  • Manufacturing 27
  • Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 21
  • Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 8
  • Public Administration 7
  • Utilities 5

States cited most

Recently cited employers