Construction Industry
Construction is a high hazard industry that comprises a wide range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair. Examples include residential construction, bridge erection, roadway paving, excavations, demolitions, and large scale painting jobs. Construction workers engage in many activities that may expose them to serious hazards, such as falling from rooftops, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocutions, silica dust, and asbestos.
The information, tools, and resources provided in these Construction Industry web pages are designed to assist those in the industry - whether worker or employer - to identify, reduce, and eliminate construction-related hazards.
How can OSHA help?
OSHA has developed this webpage to provide workers and employers useful, up-to-date information on the Construction Industry. For other valuable worker protection information, such as Workers' Rights, Employer Responsibilities and other services OSHA offers, read OSHA's Workers' page.
Directorate of Construction (DOC)
Provides workplace safety standards and regulations to ensure safe working conditions for the nation's construction workers; and coordinates with and provides assistance to other regulatory agencies on the implementation and enforcement of major construction laws and standards.
What's New
- NEW Enforcement Policy – Crane Operator Certification Requirements. OSHA Memo, (November 05, 2018)
- Small Business Advocacy Review Panel (SBAR Panel) Final Report and associated materials can be accessed at www.regulations.gov (Docket # OSHA-2014-0018-0073)
- National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation [PDF]. OSHA Directive CPL 02-00-161 (October 01, 2018).
- 5 Things You Should Know to Stay Safe in a Trench [Video]. U.S. Secretary of Labor PSA on trench safety (September 13, 2018).
- U.S. Department of Labor Seeks Comments on Proposal Regarding Railroad Construction Equipment in Cranes and Derricks Construction Standard. OSHA Trade Release (July 18, 2018).
- OSHA Leads National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls. U.S. Department of Labor Blog (May 16, 2018)
- Communication Tower Best Practices [PDF] - OSHA/FCC Joint Publication. A guide to establish accepted practices for performing communication towers work safely. (June 2017).
Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Construction Violations - 2017 (as of Sept. 30, 2017)
- Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501)
- Scaffolding (1926.451)
- Ladders (1926.1053)
- Fall Protection - Training (1926.503)
- Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
- Head Protection (1926.100)
- Aerial Lifts (1926.453)
- General Safety and Health Provisions (1926.20)
- Fall Protection - Systems Criteria and Practices (1926.502)