Scaffolding has climbed to fourth place in OSHA’s latest ranking of the most frequently cited workplace safety standards, prompting the Scaffold & Access Industry Association to renew its call for better training, fall protection and safe scaffold practices.
Scaffolding recorded 1,725 violations of OSHA’s Scaffolding General Requirements standard, 29 CFR 1926.451, in the preliminary figures for fiscal year 2026, moving it up to fourth from seventh on last year’s list, the largest shift in the rankings.
Fall Protection – General Requirements remained the most frequently cited standard, with 4,041 violations, while scaffolding’s rise took it above ladders, on 1,659. The climb is not the result of more scaffolding citations. Every standard in the top 10 recorded fewer violations than a year earlier, with combined citations down almost 25%, according to the National Safety Council, which released the preliminary figures. Scaffolding’s citations fell 9.4%, against drops of more than 30% for fall protection and ladders.
Roger A. Jetton, OSHA Liaison for the Scaffold & Access Industry Association and president of Scaffolding Solutions, said inspections were identifying recurring issues including improperly installed scaffolding, inadequate worker fall protection and tie-off practices, and weaknesses in fall protection training and its documentation.
“Greater jobsite inspection finding problems is no excuse for workers and companies failing to always follow safe-work processes and meeting OSHA regulatory worker requirements,” he said.
“Worker safety and OSHA incident prevention starts with basic fall protection training and proper scaffolding design and installation, with every company working at height adhering to a strong safe-work culture to protect their employees on every jobsite.
“As with most business issues, problems and risks are solved and reduced by increasing the skill and capability of the workers doing the job.”
SAIA’s regional meetings in 2025 and 2026 have featured extensive fall protection training with live, hands-on demonstrations, and Jetton pointed to the association’s Suspended Scaffold Competent Person course as the leading example of its product and installation training. SAIA also participates in OSHA’s Alliance Program, partnering with the agency to improve construction and access worker safety. “SAIA is committed to increasing access industry product and worker safety through its extensive programs, resources and worker training initiatives,” Jetton said. The aim, he added, is to drive incident and violation rates to zero.
