OSHA Inspection Checklist for Construction (2026)

An OSHA inspection checklist for construction is a structured document that helps contractors verify compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards before, during, or after an inspection. It covers documentation, training records, hazard controls, personal protective equipment, and site conditions that inspectors evaluate during a jobsite visit.

For construction contractors, the checklist serves two purposes: it helps you maintain ongoing compliance, and it prepares you to respond effectively when an OSHA compliance safety and health officer (CSHO) arrives on site.

Below is a comprehensive checklist organized by the categories OSHA inspectors most commonly evaluate on construction sites, based on OSHA's published inspection procedures and the most frequently cited standards in the construction industry.

What OSHA Inspectors Evaluate on Construction Sites

OSHA construction inspections follow a structured process defined in the OSHA Field Operations Manual (FOM). Inspectors prioritize hazards based on severity and likelihood of injury. The following categories represent the areas most consistently reviewed during both programmed and unprogrammed inspections.

1. Documentation and Recordkeeping

This is often the first category inspectors address. They will ask to review your written safety programs and records, typically during or immediately after the opening conference.

• OSHA 300/300A/301 logs — Current year and previous five years of injury and illness records. Ensure the annual summary (Form 300A) was posted from February 1 through April 30.
• Written safety and health program — A comprehensive document covering your company's approach to hazard identification, communication, training, and incident response.
• Hazard communication program — Written HazCom program with safety data sheets (SDS) for all chemicals on site, accessible to all employees (29 CFR 1926.59).
• Emergency action plan — Procedures for medical emergencies, fire, evacuation, and severe weather events.
• Competent person designations — Written documentation identifying the competent person for each relevant standard (excavation, scaffolding, fall protection, etc.).

2. Training Records

OSHA requires that training be documented with dates, topics, trainer qualifications, and employee signatures. Inspectors routinely request these records.

• New employee orientation — Site-specific hazard awareness training completed before work begins.
• Toolbox talk records — Weekly or daily safety briefings with attendance sheets and topics covered.
• Equipment-specific training — Forklift, aerial lift, crane, scaffold erection, and other equipment certifications.
• Fall protection training — Documentation that all workers exposed to fall hazards have been trained on fall protection systems, per 29 CFR 1926.503.
• Confined space entry training — If applicable, training records for all entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors.
• Certification tracking — Current status of employee certifications with expiration dates (first aid/CPR, HAZWOPER, crane operator, etc.).

3. Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926 Subpart M)

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction and the most frequently cited OSHA standard. Inspectors pay particular attention to fall hazards on every construction site visit.

• Fall protection systems in place for work at 6 feet or above
• Guardrails meet height requirements (42 inches, +/- 3 inches) with midrails
• Personal fall arrest systems inspected and properly anchored
• Floor openings and holes covered or guarded
• Leading edge work has a site-specific fall protection plan
• Ladder safety: proper setup angle, secured at top, extends 3 feet above landing

4. Scaffolding (29 CFR 1926 Subpart L)

• Scaffold erected under direction of a competent person
• Inspected before each work shift by a competent person
• Proper guardrails, toeboards, and cross-bracing installed
• Base plates and mudsills on firm footing
• Proper access (ladder, stair tower) — no climbing cross-braces
• Capacity ratings posted and not exceeded

5. Excavation and Trenching (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P)

• Competent person assigned and documented for the excavation
• Daily inspections of excavations documented before entry
• Protective systems in place for trenches 5 feet or deeper (sloping, shoring, or shielding)
• Spoil piles set back at least 2 feet from edge
• Means of egress (ladder, ramp, stairs) within 25 feet of travel in trenches 4 feet or deeper
• Underground utilities located and marked before digging

6. Electrical Safety (29 CFR 1926 Subpart K)

• Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on all temporary wiring
• Assured equipment grounding conductor program documented (if used instead of GFCIs)
• Extension cords in good condition (no splices, exposed wires, or missing ground prongs)
• Proper clearance from overhead power lines maintained
• Electrical panels accessible and properly labeled
• Lockout/tagout procedures in place for equipment maintenance

7. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Hard hats worn and in good condition throughout the site
• Eye and face protection provided for grinding, cutting, welding, and chemical exposure
• Hearing protection available in high-noise areas
• PPE hazard assessment completed and documented (29 CFR 1926.95)
• Respiratory protection program in place if respirators are used

8. Housekeeping and General Site Conditions

• Work areas free from debris, protruding nails, and tripping hazards
• Adequate illumination in work areas and walkways
• Fire extinguishers accessible, inspected, and tagged
• Proper storage of flammable and combustible materials
• Sanitation facilities available and maintained
• First aid supplies and emergency contact information posted

What Contractors Commonly Miss During Inspections

Most OSHA citations in construction are not issued because safety practices are absent. They are issued because the evidence of those practices cannot be produced when requested.

Many violations occur not because safety is ignored, but because documentation cannot be retrieved quickly. During an inspection, the difference between a compliant contractor and a cited contractor is often the ability to produce records within minutes — not days.

Common gaps that lead to citations include:

• Training records without signatures or dates — If training occurred but was not documented with employee signatures, OSHA treats it as if the training did not happen.
• No competent person documentation — The competent person standard appears in over a dozen construction-specific regulations, yet many contractors cannot name their designated competent person in writing.
• Incomplete daily logs — Days with no entries raise questions about whether safety management was occurring consistently. Understand what daily logs should include.
• Expired certifications — Equipment operator certifications, first aid/CPR cards, and other time-limited credentials that lapsed without notice.
• No incident or near-miss documentation — The absence of any near-miss records suggests to inspectors that either incidents are not being reported or they are not being tracked.

The Documentation Gap That Creates Exposure

During OSHA inspections, documentation gaps often create exposure that is difficult to defend against after the fact. An inspector does not evaluate your intent — they evaluate your records.

Consider this scenario: your crew has been conducting daily safety briefings for months. But the attendance sheets were lost when a supervisor left the company. When the inspector asks for training documentation covering the past 90 days, you have 60 days of records and a 30-day gap. That gap becomes a potential citation.

The financial implications compound quickly. A single serious violation carries penalties up to $16,550 in 2026. If the same documentation failure applies across multiple employees or multiple standards, each instance can be cited separately.

Documentation discipline is not about creating paperwork. It is about building a defensible record that demonstrates your commitment to worker safety — a record that holds up when someone outside your organization evaluates it.