Data last updated: September 28, 2026
Arkansas logged just 5 scaffolding violations under 1926.451 in the past 12 months, but do not read that small number as low risk. Two of those five citations were classified as Repeat, the average penalty came in at $1,702, and one recent case in Fayetteville carried a $4,965 fine. Small caseload, real money on the table when OSHA decides to escalate.
If you or your company just received a scaffolding citation in Arkansas, the clock is already running. Talk to an Arkansas OSHA defense attorney before you decide how to respond.
What 1926.451 Actually Demands on a Jobsite
The standard behind every one of these citations, 1926.451, is OSHA’s general rulebook for scaffolds used in construction. It is not a narrow technical footnote — it covers how much weight a scaffold platform has to hold, how workers get on and off safely, what fall protection has to look like at height, and how planking and guardrails need to be built and maintained.
Most citations under this standard trace back to one of a handful of recurring problems: missing or incomplete guardrail systems, planking that is not fully decked or is rated wrong for the load, and no safe means of access such as a ladder or ramp built into the scaffold structure. Inspectors look at these details specifically because falls from scaffolds are one of the most common causes of serious injury in construction.
Where Arkansas Inspectors Are Finding These Problems
The data points to a clear pattern: specialty trade contractors account for 3 of the state’s 5 citations, with other structural contractors picking up the remaining 2. That lines up with how scaffolding actually gets used in the field — stucco, siding, masonry, and other exterior trades spend entire days working off scaffold platforms, often on smaller residential or commercial jobs where oversight can be thinner than on a large union site.
Conway stands out as the city with the most citations in this reporting period, though the largest dollar penalty in the state actually landed in Fayetteville. If your business falls under the specialty trade contractors category, you are working in the segment of the Arkansas construction economy that OSHA is watching most closely for scaffold issues right now.
What These Citations Actually Cost
The average penalty across Arkansas’s five scaffolding citations was $1,702, but that number hides a wide spread. The median penalty was $0, meaning at least half of the cases resulted in no fine at all or a very small one — often tied to first-time Serious violations with prompt correction. But the other end of the spectrum looks different.
Larry’S Stucco Solutions, Inc, based in Fayetteville, was cited for a Repeat violation under subsection 19260451 E01, issued December 17, 2025, with a penalty of $4,965. Repeat classification means OSHA had already flagged a similar hazard at that employer before — and the agency’s penalty structure punishes that history hard.
By contrast, Marisela Sibaja Hernandez in Conway received a Serious citation under subsection 19260451 A06, issued June 18, 2026, with a listed penalty of $0. Serious violations carry potential fines into the thousands of dollars, but the final number depends heavily on the size of the business, its prior history, and how the case was negotiated.
That last point matters more than most contractors realize. Average penalty reductions between the initial citation and the final resolved amount ran about 50% in Arkansas over this period. Half the exposure on paper simply disappeared through negotiation, correction documentation, or formal contest — which tells you the number on the citation letter is rarely the final word. For a fuller breakdown of how OSHA calculates and adjusts these figures, see how OSHA scaffolding penalty amounts are determined.
A Repeat citation like the one in Fayetteville can escalate fast if it happens again, and even a Serious citation with no immediate fine can affect your OSHA history for years. Before you sign anything or pay a cent, it’s worth a conversation with an Arkansas OSHA defense attorney to see what your actual options are.
The 15-Day Window You Cannot Afford to Miss
Once a citation arrives, OSHA gives you exactly 15 working days to file what’s called a Notice of Contest. Miss that window and the citation — along with whatever penalty is attached — becomes final. There is no automatic extension and no informal appeal process after the deadline passes.
Given that two of Arkansas’s five recent citations were Repeat violations, and that the statewide average penalty reduction sits around 50%, this is not a deadline to sit on. Filing a contest, or even opening settlement talks with OSHA’s area office, can meaningfully change the financial outcome — but only if it happens inside that 15-day window. Read through how to contest an OSHA citation to understand the mechanics before you act, and pair that knowledge with legal advice specific to your situation.
If the countdown has already started on your citation, do not wait to see how it plays out. Reach out to an Arkansas OSHA defense attorney now, while you still have time to file a Notice of Contest and negotiate the outcome.
Pull your citation paperwork, note the exact date you received it, and count forward 15 working days — that date is your real deadline, not a suggestion. Whether your case looks like the Serious citation in Conway or the Repeat citation in Fayetteville, getting an experienced set of eyes on the paperwork now is the single most useful thing you can do this week.