29 CFR 1926 · Construction · Subpart L

1926.454: Scaffold Training Requirements

By Black Belt Safety Editorial Team Official text as of October 15, 2026 Data updated November 6, 2026 3 min read

In plain words:

Employers must train each worker who works on a scaffold, through a qualified person, to recognize the hazards of that type of scaffold and how to control them. Workers who erect, move, repair, maintain or inspect scaffolds must be trained by a competent person. Retraining is required when conditions or equipment change or a worker shows a lack of proficiency.

Key takeaways

  • 1926.454 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart L).
  • OSHA cited it 1,301 times in the last 3 years, in 1,130 inspections, with $2,277,793 in current penalties.
  • 34 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
  • Most citations: MD (173), FL (77), VA (73).
  • Most-cited part: 1926.454(a) (989 citations).
  • Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.

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1,301citations, 3 years
$2,277,793current penalties
1,130inspections
34linked deaths
In this article
  1. What this rule covers
  2. Official text
  3. Injuries linked to this rule
  4. Where and how often it was cited
  5. Free toolbox talk
  6. OSHA interpretation letters
  7. Most-cited parts of this rule
  8. Get your crew competent
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. About this page

What this rule covers

29 CFR 1926.454, "Training requirements", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart L). It has 15 numbered 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

Show the full text of 1926.454 (15 paragraphs)

This section supplements and clarifies the requirements of § 1926.21(b)(2) as these relate to the hazards of work on scaffolds.

(a) The employer shall have each employee who performs work while on a scaffold trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize the hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and to understand the procedures to control or minimize those hazards. The training shall include the following areas, as applicable: Open (a) 989 citations

(1) The nature of any electrical hazards, fall hazards and falling object hazards in the work area; Open (a)(1) 77 citations

(2) The correct procedures for dealing with electrical hazards and for erecting, maintaining, and disassembling the fall protection systems and falling object protection systems being used; 3 citations

(3) The proper use of the scaffold, and the proper handling of materials on the scaffold; Open (a)(3) 10 citations

(4) The maximum intended load and the load-carrying capacities of the scaffolds used; and

(5) Any other pertinent requirements of this subpart. 2 citations

(b) The employer shall have each employee who is involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining, or inspecting a scaffold trained by a competent person to recognize any hazards associated with the work in question. The training shall include the following topics, as applicable: Open (b) 260 citations

(1) The nature of scaffold hazards; 1 citations

(2) The correct procedures for erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, inspecting, and maintaining the type of scaffold in question; Open (b)(2) 22 citations

(3) The design criteria, maximum intended load-carrying capacity and intended use of the scaffold;

(4) Any other pertinent requirements of this subpart. Open (b)(4) 2 citations

(c) When the employer has reason to believe that an employee lacks the skill or understanding needed for safe work involving the erection, use or dismantling of scaffolds, the employer shall retrain each such employee so that the requisite proficiency is regained. Retraining is required in at least the following situations: Open (c) 48 citations

(1) Where changes at the worksite present a hazard about which an employee has not been previously trained; or 1 citations

(2) Where changes in the types of scaffolds, fall protection, falling object protection, or other equipment present a hazard about which an employee has not been previously trained; or Open (c)(2) 4 citations

(3) Where inadequacies in an affected employee's work involving scaffolds indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite proficiency. Open (c)(3) 31 citations

Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.

See every company cited for this rule.

Export the list: 1,130 inspections cited 1926.454 in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.

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Injuries linked to this rule

34 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1926.454.

One employee is fatally injured, another employee suffers sh
2025-02-25 · Fatal · CHICAGO, IL

At 8:30 a.m. on February 25, 2025, Employee #1 and Employee #2 were working as carpenters and were installing metal framing on the exterior of a multi-family dwelling. The employees were working from an Articulating Boom Lift when the boom contacted a 7,200-Volt primary overhead…

See all 34 cases

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Where and how often it was cited

YearCitations
202372
2024400
2025461
2026368

Top states: MD (173), FL (77), VA (73), PA (70), TX (67)

Largest penalties

EmployerLocationPenalty for this rule
BRANDSAFWAY SERVICES LLCQUARRYVILLE, PA$33,100
VOSS USA LLCFORT WORTH, TX$33,100
ROADRUNNER DRYWALL CORPORATIONLAS VEGAS, NV$29,036
GTO CONSTRUCTION, INC.PHILADELPHIA, PA$25,781
DAN LEPORE & SONS COMPANYPHILADELPHIA, PA$16,550

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OSHA interpretation letters

None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1926.454.

Most-cited parts of this rule

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Frequently asked questions

What must scaffold users be trained on?

Electrical, fall and falling object hazards, how to deal with electrical hazards and fall protection systems, proper use of the scaffold and materials, and the scaffold's load capacity.

Who trains workers who build scaffolds?

Workers who erect, disassemble, move, operate, repair, maintain or inspect scaffolds must be trained by a competent person.

When is retraining required?

When worksite changes or new types of scaffolds or protective equipment present hazards the worker has not been trained on, or when a worker's performance shows they have not kept the needed skills.

About this page

Sources

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.

Written and reviewed by

Black Belt Safety Editorial Team

Site Safety Officer and Safety Professional

OSHA 30 · CPR · USACE CQM

Written and reviewed by the Black Belt Safety team. Every post is checked against the OSHA standard or agency source it cites.

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