OSHA: Annual 'Top 10' List of Most Frequently Cited Violations
Originally published by: Safety & Health Magazine — February 26, 2021
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“Fall Protection – General Requirements” is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard for the 10th successive fiscal year, the agency announced Feb. 26 during an exclusive Safety+Health webinar.
Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented preliminary data for OSHA’s Top 10 most cited violations for fiscal year 2020, which ended Sept. 30. S+H Associate Editor Kevin Druley moderated the session.
Although multiple standards swapped positions, the standards that make up the Top 10 remained unchanged from FY 2019. Of note, a newcomer emerged among the top five: Ladders, which ranked sixth in FY 2019, rose one spot. Additionally, Respiratory Protection climbed to third from fifth, while Lockout/Tagout fell two spots, dropping to sixth from fourth.
The full list:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501): 5,424 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3,199
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,649
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,538
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,129
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,065
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,932
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,621
- Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,369
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,313
“Use the Top 10 as a guide for your workplace,” Kapust recommended. “It’s a good place to start if you don’t know where to start. Look at what OSHA is finding. Look at the things that are applicable to your particular industry as well.”
