OSHA’s Top 10 Most-Cited Violations
Every year OSHA publishes the ten standards it cited most often. The list barely changes from year to year, which tells you something important: the same basic hazards keep hurting people, and most of them are easy to spot.
- Construction
- General Industry
- Supervisors
Photo: open roof edge with no guardrail or fall protection, the most-cited hazard
The list
In recent years the same ten standards have made the list. The order shifts a little each year, but fall protection has been number one for more than a decade, and hazard communication is usually second.
| Standard | What it covers | Common reasons for citations |
|---|---|---|
| Fall protection, general requirements (1926.501) | When construction workers need fall protection (6 feet and up) | Roofers and framers with no guardrail, net or harness; open holes and leading edges |
| Hazard communication (1910.1200) | Chemical labels, Safety Data Sheets and training | No written program, missing SDSs, unlabeled containers, no training |
| Ladders (1926.1053) | Ladder use in construction | Side rails not 3 feet above the landing, using the top step, damaged ladders, wrong ladder for the job |
| Respiratory protection (1910.134) | Respirator programs | No medical evaluation, no fit test, no written program |
| Lockout/tagout (1910.147) | Controlling hazardous energy during maintenance | No written procedures, no training, no periodic inspections |
| Scaffolding (1926.451) | Scaffold construction and use | Missing guardrails, incomplete planking, no safe access, bad footing |
| Powered industrial trucks (1910.178) | Forklifts and similar trucks | Untrained or uncertified operators, damaged trucks left in service |
| Fall protection, training (1926.503) | Training workers who face fall hazards | No training by a competent person, no written training certification |
| Eye and face protection (1926.102) | Safety glasses, goggles and face shields | No eye protection while cutting, grinding, nailing or handling chemicals |
| Machine guarding (1910.212) | Guards on machines in general industry | Missing or removed guards at the point of operation and on moving parts |
OSHA usually announces the new list each fall for the fiscal year that just ended (October through September). Check OSHA’s page for the latest numbers.
What the list tells you
- Falls are the biggest problem in construction. Three of the ten (fall protection, ladders and scaffolding) are about falls, and a fourth is fall protection training. See The Focus Four Hazards.
- Paperwork counts. Hazard communication, respiratory protection, lockout/tagout and fall protection training are often cited for a missing written program or missing training records, not only for a hazard you can see.
- Small companies get cited too. Many of these citations go to small contractors who never set up the basics. See OSHA for Small Contractors.
A quick top-10 check for your job
- Everyone working 6 feet or more above a lower level has guardrails, nets or a personal fall arrest system
- Workers exposed to falls have been trained by a competent person, and there is a written record
- Extension ladders extend 3 feet above the landing and are tied off; no one stands on the top step
- Scaffolds are fully planked, have guardrails and safe access, and were inspected by a competent person
- Every chemical container is labeled, and Safety Data Sheets are available on site
- Respirator users have had a medical evaluation, a fit test and training
- Machines are locked out before servicing, and written lockout procedures exist
- Forklift operators are trained and evaluated, and damaged trucks are tagged out
- Safety glasses or face shields are worn for cutting, grinding, nailing and chemical work
- Machine guards are in place and haven’t been removed or bypassed
For workers: If you see one of these hazards, tell your supervisor. If it isn’t fixed, you have the right to file a complaint with OSHA, and you can’t be punished for it. See Your Rights as a Worker.
Standards & references
- OSHA: Top 10 most frequently cited standards
- 29 CFR 1926.501: Duty to have fall protection
- 29 CFR 1910.1200: Hazard communication
- See also: Fall Protection Basics · Hazard Communication · Lockout/Tagout
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