With nearly $20 million in penalties across all industries, fall protection topped the list of OSHA’s most frequently cited standards during fiscal year 2014, with hazard communication and scaffolding holding the second and third positions. Out of a total of 39,228 OSHA inspections, 6,896 produced citations specifically related to violations of OSHA standard 1926.501 – general fall protection. Those 7,120 citations resulted in $19,834,111 in fines against employers.
The construction industry was at the receiving end of most of the agency’s scrutiny, and for good reason. In 2013, falls were the leading cause of worker deaths on construction sites, accounting for 294 fatalities out of 796 total fatalities in construction.