29 CFR 1926.451

Scaffold Safety and Competent Person Awareness

Documents scaffold safety and competent-person awareness training. Employer remains responsible for site-specific scaffold evaluation, competent-person designation, inspection authority, fall protection, access, and rescue planning.

$49
3 modules · certificate included
$36.75 a seat at 10+ · save 25% · price your team
What this course does and does not doIt does not, by itself, certify, designate, or authorize a person to act as the competent person, design scaffolds, erect scaffolds, dismantle scaffolds, inspect scaffolds, approve scaffold changes, or perform site-specific scaffold duties.
Add 2 more courses and save 10%.
$4,073
average penalty per citation under this standard

Quick answer

What is Scaffold Safety and Competent Person Awareness?
Scaffold Safety and Competent Person Awareness is online compliance training documenting the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.451. It costs $49, is self-paced across 3 modules, and issues a dated certificate the moment the trainee finishes.
Who needs it?
employers and safety managers documenting required workplace-safety and HR training for their staff.
Is the certificate verifiable?
Yes. Every certificate carries a unique number that anyone can check publicly at certifiedtrainingusa.com/verify without an account.
OSHA enforcement · since 2023
11,522
citations issued nationally
$4,073
average penalty per citation

29 CFR 1926.451 was cited 11,522 times, averaging $4,073 in initial penalties. This course costs $49.

Source: US DOL OSHA enforcement data · pulled 2026-08-23

Where this standard is enforced

Citations issued under this standard, by the state the inspection took place in. Darker means more.

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
ID
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
RI
MA
OR
NV
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
CA
UT
CO
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
TX
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
FL
Fewer
Most (997)States with no shading have no citations in our dataset

Most citations

Texas997
New Jersey718
Illinois683
New York656
Florida615

Source: OSHA inspection and violation data, pulled 2026-08-23. Figures are initial penalties, which are frequently reduced on settlement.

Check your state

See how often 29 CFR 1926.451 was cited where you operate.

Citations by state (full data)
TX: 997 ($4,018)
NJ: 718 ($6,048)
IL: 683 ($4,813)
NY: 656 ($4,843)
FL: 615 ($4,022)
VA: 571 ($6,535)
MD: 567 ($637)
NC: 522 ($1,934)
PA: 483 ($5,870)
MA: 461 ($4,561)
OH: 385 ($4,721)
GA: 341 ($4,612)
TN: 265 ($1,969)
MO: 229 ($4,742)
WI: 228 ($4,237)
AL: 188 ($2,529)
UT: 140 ($1,299)
CT: 137 ($4,717)
CO: 134 ($3,117)
KY: 132 ($3,789)
NH: 129 ($3,150)
MN: 126 ($2,404)
IN: 122 ($1,287)
RI: 121 ($2,812)
OR: 121 ($1,596)
LA: 120 ($5,401)
OK: 115 ($3,469)
NE: 105 ($6,014)
PR: 97 ($2,563)
MS: 90 ($4,567)
DE: 87 ($4,918)
NM: 75 ($3,831)
SD: 74 ($3,385)
MI: 68 ($506)
ND: 66 ($3,051)
HI: 65 ($1,592)
AR: 61 ($4,906)
IA: 58 ($3,257)
GU: 53 ($2,917)
NV: 49 ($5,323)
SC: 49 ($1,340)
ID: 46 ($3,238)
ME: 42 ($2,624)
AK: 41 ($10,156)
KS: 40 ($6,163)
VT: 37 ($2,045)
DC: 25 ($3,068)
AZ: 24 ($3,598)
VI: 23 ($5,468)
AS: 21 ($12,903)
WV: 20 ($2,793)

Who actually gets cited for this

Based on the 10,674 citations under 29 CFR 1926.451 that we could match to an inspection record, which is 92.6% of the 11,522 we hold.

82.5% of these citations went to employers with ten or fewer employees. This is not a big-company standard.

By industry

Construction95.9% | 10,238
Manufacturing1.2% | 131
Wholesale Trade0.5% | 56
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services0.5% | 50
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing0.4% | 40
Other Services (except Public Administration)0.3% | 31

Construction alone accounts for 95.9% of them.

By employer size

1 to 10 employees82.5% | 8,806
11 to 50 employees14.7% | 1,566
51 to 250 employees2.3% | 246
251 to 1,000 employees0.4% | 43
More than 1,000 employees0.1% | 13

Citations by year

3,734
2023
2,852
2024
3,135
2025
953
2026*

* Year still in progress, so it is not comparable with the full years beside it. Across the complete years shown, citations fell 16%.

What this course covers

01
Scaffold Duties, Roles, and Hazard Recognition30 min
02
Platforms, Access, Fall Protection, and Falling Objects30 min
03
Inspection, Work Practices, and Employer Records30 min

Who needs this training

This course is for employers and safety managers documenting required workplace-safety and HR training for their staff. It documents the training required under 29 CFR 1926.451. You can take it as an individual, or buy seats for your whole team from one account.

Instant, verifiable certificate

Your certificate issues the moment you finish, with a unique ID. Any employer or inspector can confirm it at certifiedtrainingusa.com/verify. No waiting for a card in the mail.

Get 10% off your first course

One code, one use, any course. We will also send you the occasional note when a standard changes in a way that affects training you have already bought. Nothing else.

The code applies at list price. It does not combine with team seat discounts or bundles, which are already discounted. Unsubscribe anytime.

Common questions

Can I complete this training online?

Yes. Scaffold Safety and Competent Person Awareness is delivered entirely online and self-paced. The regulation (29 CFR 1926.451) requires that the training occur and be documented, which this course satisfies; any hands-on or site-specific portion a standard also requires remains the employer's responsibility.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes. A certificate is issued the moment you complete the course. It carries a unique ID and can be verified by any employer or auditor at certifiedtrainingusa.com/verify.

How long does it take?

The course is self-paced, so you can finish in one sitting or return as your schedule allows. Most learners complete it in under two hours.

Can I train my whole team?

Yes. You can buy multiple seats and manage your team from one account. Training providers can also resell this course under their own brand.

Before you buy, read the background

We publish a sourced guide to this requirement, with the current enforcement figures pulled from our own dataset.

Construction Safety · 8 min read
Scaffold Competent Person Training: What 1926.451 Requires
A working guide to OSHA's general scaffold requirements, what the competent person is responsible for, and how online awareness training fits alongside on-site inspection duties.

Others usually trained alongside this

Same category, same audience. Most sites that need one of these need more than one.

Fall Protection Competent Person Awareness
$49
Lockout/Tagout Authorized Employee Training
$59
Machine Guarding Required Awareness
$49
OSHA Hazard Communication and GHS Awareness
$49

See all OSHA & Workplace Safety courses

Train your team

Set the headcount and the price follows. Volume discount applies automatically, and every seat gets its own redemption code to hand out.

seats
5 × $41.65$208.25
Small team · 15% offsaves $36.75

One redemption code per seat, plus a roster showing who has finished.

Volume discount

5 more seats and the rate drops to $36.75.

25+ seats can be paid on invoice against a PO instead of a card.

Ready to certify?
$49 · certificate included · start now