Every year at the National Safety Council (NSC) Safety Congress and Exposition, OSHA releases its top ten most cited standards violations of the previous fiscal year. As we near this next release (covering October 1, 2022– September 30, 2023), it’s a great time to dive into one of the most common violations, respiratory protection (1910.134). This standard was third on the list in 2022 with 2,527 citations and second in 2021 with 2,185 citations, representing an increase of just over 300 violations year to year despite it placing lower on the list. It is likely that respiratory protection standard citations will be among the most cited again this year.
One of the best ways to break down what is being cited is to look at what is required. The use of respiratory protection in the workplace is not as easy as buying respirators and handing them out. It requires the development of a documented program that must include, according to OSHA: