Every year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its "Top 10" list of the most frequently cited safety violations. Use this list to identify hazards before an inspector arrives or, more importantly, before an injury occurs.

Based on the latest data for Fiscal Year 2024, here is a detailed breakdown of the top 10 violations and the standards they involve. From fall protection to machine guarding, this guide provides essential compliance tips and resources to help you identify risks and ensure a safer, penalty-free workplace.

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501)

The Violation: This has been the #1 most cited violation for over a decade. It primarily involves the failure to protect employees from falling from heights of 6 feet or more in construction. Common issues include unprotected sides/edges and failing to provide guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems.

Compliance Tip: Always conduct a pre-job hazard assessment to identify fall risks and ensure 100% tie-off policies are enforced.

Resource: OSHA Fall Protection Topics Page

2. Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200)

The Violation: This standard ensures that workers are informed about the chemical hazards they work with. Citations often occur for failing to have a written program, missing Safety Data Sheets (SDS), or failing to properly label chemical containers.

Compliance Tip: Ensure every chemical in your facility has a corresponding SDS that is easily accessible to employees at all times.

Resource: Hazard Communication Standard Overview

3. Ladders (29 CFR 1926.1053)

The Violation: Ladder safety is a major concern in construction. Citations usually involve using ladders for purposes they weren't designed for, using damaged ladders, or employees standing on the top step.

Compliance Tip: Inspect ladders before every shift. If a ladder is broken, tag it "Do Not Use" and remove it from service immediately.

Resource: OSHA Ladder Safety QuickCard (PDF)

4. Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134)

The Violation: This standard protects workers from harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, and vapors. Violations often include the lack of a written respiratory protection program, failure to perform medical evaluations, and lack of "fit testing."

Compliance Tip: You cannot just hand a worker a respirator. You must first ensure they are medically cleared to wear one and that the specific model fits their face.

Resource: Respiratory Protection Compliance Center

5. Control of Hazardous Energy - Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR 1910.147)

The Violation: LOTO protects workers from the unexpected startup of machinery during maintenance. Frequent violations involve failing to have machine-specific procedures or failing to train "authorized" and "affected" employees.

Compliance Tip: Perform annual audits of your LOTO procedures to ensure they are still accurate for each piece of equipment.

Resource: Lockout/Tagout Interactive Training

6. Powered Industrial Trucks (29 CFR 1910.178)

The Violation: This covers forklifts and motorized hand trucks. Violations typically involve operators who have not been trained or certified, or equipment that is not maintained in safe operating condition.

Compliance Tip: Forklift certifications must be renewed every three years, or sooner if an operator is involved in an accident or near-miss.

Resource: Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift) eTool

7. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503)

The Violation: While #1 is about the physical equipment, #7 is about the *education*. Employers are often cited for failing to train employees to recognize fall hazards and how to use fall protection equipment correctly.

Compliance Tip: Training must be conducted by a "competent person" and documented in writing, including the name of the employee and the date.

Resource: Fall Protection Training Guide (PDF)

8. Scaffolding (29 CFR 1926.451)

The Violation: Citations in this category usually involve improper access to scaffold platforms, lack of guardrails, or scaffolds being built on unstable foundations (like cinder blocks instead of base plates).

Compliance Tip: A "competent person" must inspect scaffolds before every work shift to ensure structural integrity.

Resource: Scaffolding eTool

9. Eye and Face Protection (29 CFR 1926.102)

The Violation: This standard requires that workers use appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, or light radiation. Citations often stem from employees simply not wearing their provided PPE.

Compliance Tip: Safety glasses must meet ANSI Z87.1 standards. Ensure that prescription-wearers have goggles that fit over their glasses or have safety-rated prescription lenses.

Resource: Eye and Face Protection Topics

10. Machine Guarding (29 CFR 1910.212)

The Violation: This standard covers the guarding of points of operation, ingoing nip points, and rotating parts. Common violations include removing guards for "convenience" or failing to anchor fixed machinery (like drill presses) to the floor.

Compliance Tip: If a worker can reach around, under, through, or over a guard into a danger zone, the guard is insufficient.

Resource: Machine Guarding Concepts

How to Improve Your Safety Program

1. Self-Audits: Use the OSHA Self-Inspection Checklists to find these top 10 hazards in your own facility.

2. On-Site Consultation: OSHA offers a free and confidential On-Site Consultation Program for small and medium-sized businesses. These consultants help you find hazards and do not issue citations or penalties.

3. Stay Updated: Subscribe to OSHA’s QuickTakes newsletter for the latest safety news and regulatory changes.