Free inspection template
OSHA 1926 Construction Site Compliance Audit
Audit a job site against the construction standards OSHA cites most often, from fall protection and ladders to excavation, cranes, and silica. Activities you do not have on site switch themselves off. Finish with a branded PDF you can share with the site super or the safety committee.
Overview
What is an OSHA 1926 construction site walkthrough?
OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 is the federal occupational safety and health standard for the construction industry. It covers everything from PPE and fall protection to scaffolding, excavation safety, and electrical hazards on job sites. Falls are the leading cause of construction fatalities, accounting for more than one in three construction deaths each year, and fall protection remains OSHA's most frequently cited standard across all industries. A periodic site walkthrough is how safety managers and superintendents catch the issues a compliance officer would flag before an unannounced visit.
This template is a 84-checkpoint audit across 13 sections, built for a safety manager, site superintendent, or competent person. It covers fall protection and fall protection training, ladders and stairways, scaffolding, excavation and trenching, electrical, PPE, hand and power tools, cranes and hoisting, respirable crystalline silica, and site housekeeping. 14 items are flagged critical, so a single failure fails the audit and the PDF names what failed on the cover. Four sections gate themselves on the activity in progress, so a site with no excavation never sees the trenching questions.
The checklist
Every checkpoint, in full
A read-only preview of the live template. Clone it to run the inspection on mobile, where each item records Pass, Fail or N·A with optional photos and notes.
Audit Scope & Site Information
10 checksNOTENote on Usage
This audit is based on OSHA construction standards in 29 CFR Part 1926. It is a self-assessment aid, not a legal compliance determination, and completing it does not guarantee OSHA compliance or a hazard-free worksite. The controlling employer and each subcontractor remain responsible for identifying and correcting hazards and for meeting every standard that applies to the work in progress.
Audit date
Project name or site address
Auditor name and title
Controlling contractor on site
Primary phase of work in progress
Number of workers on site at time of audit
Scaffolding erected or in use on site?
Gates the Scaffolding section.
Excavation or trenching in progress?
Gates the Excavation & Trenching section.
Cranes, derricks, or hoisting equipment in use?
Gates the Cranes & Hoisting section.
Silica-generating tasks performed (cutting, grinding, drilling, or breaking concrete or masonry)?
Gates the Respirable Crystalline Silica section.
Site Safety Program & Competent Persons
6 checksCompetent persons designated for each applicable activity and known to the crewsCritical
A competent person can identify hazards and has authority to take prompt corrective action.
Site-specific safety plan available on site and current for the work in progress
Daily or shift safety briefing (toolbox talk) held and documented
Frequent and regular site inspections by a competent person documented
Workers trained in the hazards of their assigned tasks, with records retained
Subcontractor safety requirements communicated and enforced by the controlling contractor
Fall Protection (§1926.501, §1926.503)
8 checksFall protection provided wherever workers are 6 feet or more above a lower levelCritical
Unprotected sides and edges guarded by guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrestCritical
Holes and floor openings covered, secured against displacement, and markedCritical
Personal fall arrest systems inspected before each use and free of defects
Check webbing for cuts, burns, and chemical damage; check hardware for deformation and corrosion.
Anchorages capable of supporting 5,000 pounds per attached worker, or designed by a qualified person
Fall protection training provided and certified in writing
The written certification must identify the employee, the training date, and the trainer.
Written fall protection plan in place where conventional systems are infeasible
Applies to leading-edge, precast concrete, and residential roofing work. Mark N/A if conventional systems are in use.
Photo of fall protection in use at an exposed edge
Ladders & Stairways (§1926.1053, §1926.1051)
6 checksStairway or ladder provided at every point of access with a 19-inch or greater break in elevation
Portable ladders extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface
Where the 3-foot extension is impractical, the ladder must be secured and grab rails provided.
Ladders set at a 4-to-1 pitch on stable, level footing and secured against movement
Ladders free of structural defects; defective ladders tagged and removed from service
Ladders used near energized conductors have nonconductive side rails
Stairways with four or more risers, or rising more than 30 inches, fitted with stair rails
Scaffolding (§1926.451)
7 checksScaffold inspected by a competent person before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect its integrityCritical
Fall protection provided for work more than 10 feet above a lower levelCritical
Scaffold erected, moved, altered, and dismantled under the supervision of a competent person
Platforms fully planked, with planking properly supported and secured against displacement
Scaffold and components support at least 4 times the maximum intended load
Suspension ropes and connecting hardware must support 6 times the maximum intended load.
Safe access provided; workers do not climb cross braces
Photo of the erected scaffold
Excavation & Trenching (§1926.651, §1926.652)
7 checksProtective system in place for excavations 5 feet or deeper, or a competent-person determination documentedCritical
Excavation inspected daily, and after any hazard-increasing occurrence, by a competent personCritical
Safe means of egress within 25 feet of lateral travel in trenches 4 feet or deeperCritical
Spoil piles, materials, and equipment kept at least 2 feet from the excavation edge
Underground installations located before excavating, then protected or supported while open
Excavation edges 6 feet or deeper barricaded where the excavation is not readily visible
Photo of the excavation and its protective system
Electrical Safety (§1926.404, §1926.405)
6 checksGFCI protection provided, or a documented assured equipment grounding conductor program in placeCritical
Required equipment grounding conductor tests performed and recorded
Cords and cables free of damage, with ground pins intact and no improvised splices
Temporary lighting protected from breakage and not suspended by its cords
Minimum 20 feet of clearance maintained from overhead power lines up to 350 kV
Greater clearance is required above 350 kV. Applies to equipment operation and material handling.
Panels, boxes, and fittings closed with no exposed energized parts
Personal Protective Equipment (§1926.100 – §1926.102)
6 checksHead protection worn in all areas with overhead, falling-object, or impact exposureCritical
Eye and face protection provided and worn for the task hazards present
High-visibility apparel worn where vehicle or mobile equipment traffic is present
Hearing protection available and used where noise exposure requires it
Foot protection appropriate to site conditions and the work performed
PPE hazard assessment completed, and PPE inspected and maintained in serviceable condition
Hand & Power Tools (§1926.300 – §1926.304)
5 checksGuards in place on all power tools with exposed moving partsCritical
Tools inspected regularly and defective tools removed from service
Pneumatic tool safety clips or retainers installed, and hoses secured against accidental disconnection
Powder-actuated tool operators trained, and tools not used in explosive or flammable atmospheres
Circular saw guards present and retracting freely
Cranes & Hoisting (§1926.1400)
5 checksOperator certified or qualified for the equipment type and capacity being operatedCritical
Shift inspection completed by a competent person before use
Annual or comprehensive inspection documentation available on site
Rigging inspected before each shift; slings and hardware free of defects
Swing radius barricaded and the load path kept clear of workers
Respirable Crystalline Silica (§1926.1153)
5 checksWritten exposure control plan in place for the silica-generating tasks performedCritical
Must describe the tasks, the engineering controls and work practices used, housekeeping measures, and how access to work areas is restricted.
Competent person designated to implement the exposure control plan and make frequent inspections
Table 1 engineering controls fully implemented for the task, or an exposure assessment performed
Table 1 controls are typically integrated water delivery or a vacuum dust collection system, plus respiratory protection based on task duration.
Dry sweeping and compressed air not used where they contribute to silica exposure
Wet sweeping or HEPA-filtered vacuuming is required unless infeasible.
Medical surveillance offered to workers required to wear a respirator 30 or more days per year
Housekeeping, Fire Protection & Site Control
7 checksWalkways and work areas free of debris, protruding nails, and trip hazards
Scrap and combustible waste removed at regular intervals
Fire extinguishers provided and accessible for the hazards present
Flammable liquids stored in approved containers away from ignition sources
Safety Data Sheets available for chemicals brought on site, and containers labeled
Signs, signals, and barricades in place at hazard locations and excavations
Potable water and sanitation facilities provided for the size of the crew
Findings & Sign-off
6 checksSummary of findings and overall site compliance posture
Items requiring immediate corrective action
Any condition found that warrants stopping work until corrected?
Describe the stop-work condition and the action taken
Target date for corrective action review
Auditor signature
Type your full name to attest that this audit reflects the conditions and records observed on the date shown.
Yours to edit
Every job site is a little different.
Clone the template and open it in the builder. Add a section for hazards specific to your trade, reword checks to match your site conditions, and flag the items that fail as critical. No code, no spreadsheets.
Field procedure
How to run this inspection
Walk the site systematically in the order the standard groups hazards. Mark each checkpoint PASS, FAIL, or N/A as you go, and capture a short note on anything you fail.
STEP 01
Set the scope
Record the project, the auditor, the controlling contractor, and the phase of work, then answer the four activity questions. Each one gates a whole section: no scaffolding on site means the scaffolding section never appears, on the phone or in the PDF.
STEP 02
Confirm the competent persons
Part 1926 assigns specific duties to a designated competent person for scaffolds, excavations, fall protection, and silica. Confirm who they are and that the crews know. This is among the first things an inspector establishes.
STEP 03
Work the fall and electrocution hazards
Fall protection wherever workers are 6 feet or more above a lower level, ladders extending at least 3 feet above the landing, holes covered and marked, and GFCI protection or a documented assured grounding program on temporary power.
STEP 04
Audit the gated activities
Scaffold inspection before each shift, excavation protective systems at 5 feet and the daily competent-person inspection, crane operator certification, and the written silica exposure control plan. These carry the documentation an inspector asks for by name.
STEP 05
Close with findings and sign-off
Summarize what you found, list what needs immediate correction, and set a review date. If anything warrants stopping work, record the condition and the action you took. Sign, and the branded PDF is ready to send.
FAQ
Common questions
Is this OSHA 1926 template free?+
Does completing this checklist make my site OSHA compliant?+
Can I customize the checkpoints for my trade?+
Does this work offline on a job site?+
How often should we run a 1926 site walkthrough?+
What does this template not cover?+
Run your next site walkthrough from your phone
Clone the template, walk the site, and mark each checkpoint as you go. When you finish, you'll have a branded PDF report ready to share with the superintendent or file with your safety records.