Do I have to keep these inspection records?

OSHA does not specify a retention period for routine safety inspections, but the OSHA 300 injury log + 301 incident reports must be retained for 5 years (§1904.33). Most general contractors retain safety walks 3-5 years to align with insurance + litigation discovery. State plans (CalOSHA, KY, NC, etc.) may have stricter requirements.

What is the OSHA Focus-Four?

The four leading causes of construction fatalities: (1) Falls — leading cause; (2) Struck-by — falling objects, vehicles, swinging loads; (3) Caught-in/between — trenches, equipment, materials; (4) Electrocution. The OSHA 10/30 Construction curriculum and the OSHA-1926 outreach programs both center these.

When does a finding trigger STOP-WORK?

When an imminent danger exists — a condition reasonably expected to cause death or serious physical harm before normal abatement (§1903.13). Examples: trench >5 ft deep without shoring, exposed energized circuit, missing fall-protection at >6 ft, structural collapse risk. The inspector has authority + obligation to halt the affected work until corrected.

Who has to sign off on the corrective actions?

The corrective action requires the responsible party (typically Foreman, PM, or subcontractor lead) to sign-off when complete, with the date. The site safety officer re-inspects + closes the item. Open items roll forward day-to-day until closed.

Do I have to keep these inspection records?

OSHA does not specify a retention period for routine safety inspections, but the OSHA 300 injury log + 301 incident reports must be retained for 5 years (§1904.33). Most general contractors retain safety walks 3-5 years to align with insurance + litigation discovery. State plans (CalOSHA, KY, NC, etc.) may have stricter requirements.

What is the OSHA Focus-Four?

The four leading causes of construction fatalities: (1) Falls — leading cause; (2) Struck-by — falling objects, vehicles, swinging loads; (3) Caught-in/between — trenches, equipment, materials; (4) Electrocution. The OSHA 10/30 Construction curriculum and the OSHA-1926 outreach programs both center these.

When does a finding trigger STOP-WORK?

When an imminent danger exists — a condition reasonably expected to cause death or serious physical harm before normal abatement (§1903.13). Examples: trench >5 ft deep without shoring, exposed energized circuit, missing fall-protection at >6 ft, structural collapse risk. The inspector has authority + obligation to halt the affected work until corrected.

Who has to sign off on the corrective actions?

The corrective action requires the responsible party (typically Foreman, PM, or subcontractor lead) to sign-off when complete, with the date. The site safety officer re-inspects + closes the item. Open items roll forward day-to-day until closed.

Job-Site Safety Inspection

Job-site safety walk-around inspection — PPE, fall protection, electrical, signage, housekeeping, hazard observations, corrective actions. Aligns with OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 construction standards.

Customise

Project name

Project address

Inspection date + time

Inspector — name + role

General contractor

Weather + site conditions

Crew on site (count)

PPE compliance — observations (one per line)

Fall protection — observations

Electrical — observations

Signage / barricades — observations

Housekeeping / fire protection

Hazards / near-misses observed

Corrective actions + responsible party

Overall site rating

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JOB-SITE SAFETY INSPECTION

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Project:          Maple Ridge Townhomes — Phase 2 framing
Address:          1842 Maple Ridge Lane, Hillsboro, OR 97124
Inspection date:  2026-05-28 09:30
Inspector:        Reilly Park · Site Safety Officer (OSHA 30 certified)
General contractor: Cascade Build LLC
Weather:          58°F, overcast, wind 8 mph WSW, ground dry. No precipitation in 24 h.
Crew on site:     12 workers

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1. PPE COMPLIANCE  (OSHA 29 CFR §1926 Subpart E — hard hats, eye/face, foot, hand, hearing)
Hard hats: 12/12 — all crew wearing ANSI Z89.1 Type I Class C.
High-vis Class 2 vests: 12/12 — all crew.
Safety glasses: 11/12 — 1 carpenter observed without; corrected on the spot, glasses provided from site kit.
Work gloves: 12/12.
Footwear: 12/12 — steel-toe, ANSI Z41 / ASTM F2413 rated.
Hearing protection: required and worn in saw / nailer zones.

2. FALL PROTECTION  (Subpart M — required at >6 ft construction)
Working heights >6 ft (per Subpart M trigger): roof crew on truss installation at 22 ft.
Full-body harness + 6-ft shock-absorbing lanyard: 4/4 roof crew.
Anchor points: rated 5,000 lb anchors at 8-ft spacing, certified by foreman.
Guardrails on scaffold platforms: top rail 39-45", mid-rail, toe-board — meets §1926.502(b).
Openings: floor hole at stair landing covered + marked HOLE.
Ladder use: 3-point contact observed; extension ladder extended 3 ft above roof; tied off at top.

3. ELECTRICAL  (Subpart K — GFCI, lockout/tagout, assured-grounding)
Temporary power: 200A panel on pole with GFCI feeders. All receptacles GFCI-protected (Subpart K + §1926.404(b)(1)(ii)).
Cords: 12-gauge SOOW, no nicks, plugs intact. 2 cords running through doorway protected with cord ramp.
Lockout/tagout: panel labeled, lock-box on site for trade lockouts.
No extension cords through windows or as permanent wiring.
Flexible cords assured-grounding conductor program in place; bi-monthly inspection log kept.

4. SIGNAGE + BARRICADES  (Subpart G — signs, signals, barricades)
Site perimeter: 6-ft chain-link with privacy screen; gates locked outside work hours.
Danger / Caution signs at all entrances (ANSI Z535).
Floor-hole HOLE markings + cover certified for live load.
Overhead-work zone barricaded at ground level (200-ft perimeter for crane lift this PM).
First-aid + emergency contact + nearest hospital posted at job trailer.
No unauthorized-entry sign at material storage trailer.

5. HOUSEKEEPING + FIRE PROTECTION  (Subparts C + F)
Debris removed daily; cut-off bins for nails + tie-wire.
Trip hazards minimized; lumber stacked + banded.
Fire extinguishers: 2A:10B:C, 1 per 3,000 sf, max 100 ft travel — 6 on site, monthly inspection tags current.
Hot-work (welding for steel embeds): permit issued, fire-watch posted 30 min post-work.
No open flame near combustibles; cylinders chained + capped.

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6. HAZARDS / NEAR-MISSES OBSERVED
1. Carpenter without safety glasses — corrected on the spot (PPE re-issued + brief delivered).
2. Trip hazard at material drop — debris cleared before noon break.
3. Subcontractor (electrical) used non-GFCI extension cord on Day 1; site safety provided GFCI adapter + verbal warning.
No recordable injuries; no first-aid cases beyond a paper-cut on the previous shift.

7. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS + RESPONSIBLE PARTIES
A) PPE refresher toolbox-talk at 07:00 tomorrow — Foreman Hernandez.
B) Re-inspect electrical subcontractor cords daily for 1 week — Site Safety Officer.
C) Update site map to show new floor-hole cover location + brief crew at AM stand-up — Project Manager.
D) Restock GFCI adapter inventory — Site Office, complete by EOD.

═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

OVERALL RATING
  SATISFACTORY with minor findings (corrected on-site or noted for follow-up).

OSHA FOCUS-FOUR REMINDERS
  • FALLS — leading construction fatality. Guardrails / PFAS / nets >6 ft.
  • STRUCK-BY — falling objects, swinging loads, vehicles. Hard hats + barricades + spotters.
  • CAUGHT-IN/BETWEEN — trenches, equipment, materials. Shoring + clearances.
  • ELECTROCUTION — GFCI, LOTO, overhead lines, assured grounding.

Reportable injuries → OSHA-300 log + (fatality / hospitalization / amputation / eye-loss) reportable to OSHA within 8 h fatality / 24 h others (§1904.39).

SIGNATURES

Inspector: _________________________    Foreman / GC rep: _________________________
            Reilly Park · Site Safety Officer (OSHA 30 certified)                       Cascade Build LLC
Date:       2026-05-28 09:30        Date: 2026-05-28 09:30

About this template

A job-site safety inspection is the recurring (daily, weekly, or per-phase) walk-around documenting OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 compliance and any hazards observed. **The OSHA Focus-Four** — Falls (Subpart M, >6 ft trigger), Struck-By, Caught-In/Between, and Electrocution (Subpart K) — account for the majority of construction fatalities; every walk-around should explicitly check each. **PPE** (Subpart E §§1926.95-1926.106) is the visible first check: hard hats (ANSI Z89.1), high-vis (ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 2 / 3), eye/face (ANSI Z87.1), foot (ASTM F2413), hearing (>85 dBA TWA threshold), and hand protection by task. **Fall protection** (Subpart M, §1926.501) is required at heights >6 ft in construction (general industry is >4 ft, Subpart D §1910.28). The three permitted systems are guardrails (39-45" top rail, mid-rail, toe-board), personal fall-arrest systems (full-body harness + shock-absorbing lanyard + anchor rated 5,000 lb), and safety nets. **Electrical** (Subpart K) requires GFCI on every temporary outlet OR an assured-grounding conductor program (logged + inspected) — §1926.404(b)(1)(ii). **Signs + barricades** (Subpart G) cover hazard signs (ANSI Z535), traffic-control devices (MUTCD), and exclusion zones around overhead work or crane lifts. **Hot work** (welding, cutting) requires a permit, fire watch during + 30 minutes after, and fire extinguisher within reach. **Reportable events** — fatality reports to OSHA within 8 hours; in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye-loss within 24 hours (§1904.39). **The walk produces three artifacts**: (1) the inspection record (this template), (2) the corrective-action list with responsible party + deadline, (3) the next-day toolbox-talk topic generated from findings. Sign off by the inspector + foreman is the chain-of-evidence if a citation is later challenged.

When to use it

Daily / weekly site safety walks on active construction.
Pre-shift hazard analysis (AHA / JHA) anchoring document.
Subcontractor onboarding inspection.
OSHA visit prep + record retention.
After near-miss or incident — focused re-inspection.

What to include

Project / address / date / inspector identification.
Crew count + weather + site conditions.
PPE observations (Subpart E).
Fall-protection observations (Subpart M).
Electrical observations (Subpart K).
Signage / barricades (Subpart G).
Housekeeping / fire protection (Subparts C + F).
Hazards / near-misses observed.
Corrective actions + responsible party + due date.
Overall rating + signatures.

Frequently asked

At heights of 6 ft or more above a lower level (Subpart M §1926.501(b)). General industry uses 4 ft (Subpart D §1910.28). For residential roofing, OSHA Directive STD 03-11-002 reaffirms the 6-ft trigger applies — the prior alternate-procedure compliance directive was rescinded in 2010.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. This inspection checklist supports OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 compliance but does NOT substitute for a competent-person determination, an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA / JHA), or a site-specific safety plan. State-plan OSHAs (CalOSHA, MIOSHA, KY, NC, etc.) may impose stricter rules than federal. The Inspector is responsible for current standards + competent-person qualifications under §1926.32(f).

Jurisdiction: United States — OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 (Construction): PPE Subpart E (§§1926.95-1926.106); Fall Protection Subpart M (§§1926.500-1926.503); Electrical Subpart K (§§1926.402-1926.449); Scaffolds Subpart L (§§1926.450-1926.454); Excavations Subpart P (§§1926.650-1926.652); Fire Protection Subpart F (§§1926.150-1926.159); Signs/Signals/Barricades Subpart G (§§1926.200-1926.203); OSHA Focus-Four (falls/struck-by/caught-in-between/electrocution).

Last reviewed: 2026-05

Reviewed by ScoutMyTool — consult a licensed attorney for binding use.