1926.250(b): Material storage
Key takeaways
- 1926.250(b) is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart H).
- OSHA cited it 4 times in the last 3 years, in 4 inspections, with $21,431 in current penalties.
- Related part: 1926.250(b)(5).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.250(b) ("Material storage") is one requirement inside 1926.250 General requirements for storage, an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart H). It includes 13 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(b) Material storage. 4 citations
(1) Material stored inside buildings under construction shall not be placed within 6 feet of any hoistway or inside floor openings, nor within 10 feet of an exterior wall which does not extend above the top of the material stored.
(2) Each employee required to work on stored material in silos, hoppers, tanks, and similar storage areas shall be equipped with personal fall arrest equipment meeting the requirements of subpart M of this part.
(3) Noncompatible materials shall be segregated in storage.
(4) Bagged materials shall be stacked by stepping back the layers and cross-keying the bags at least every 10 bags high.
(5) Materials shall not be stored on scaffolds or runways in excess of supplies needed for immediate operations. Open (b)(5)
(6) Brick stacks shall not be more than 7 feet in height. When a loose brick stack reaches a height of 4 feet, it shall be tapered back 2 inches in every foot of height above the 4-foot level. Open (b)(6)
(7) When masonry blocks are stacked higher than 6 feet, the stack shall be tapered back one-half block per tier above the 6-foot level. Open (b)(7)
(8) Lumber: 3 citations
(i) Used lumber shall have all nails withdrawn before stacking. 1 citations
(ii) Lumber shall be stacked on level and solidly supported sills.
(iii) Lumber shall be so stacked as to be stable and self-supporting. 2 citations
(iv) Lumber piles shall not exceed 20 feet in height provided that lumber to be handled manually shall not be stacked more than 16 feet high.
(9) Structural steel, poles, pipe, bar stock, and other cylindrical materials, unless racked, shall be stacked and blocked so as to prevent spreading or tilting. 1 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.250.
Export the list: 4 inspections cited 1926.250(b) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moWhere and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1926.250(b).
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About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.250 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-06
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.