Fall hazard violations continue to top the list of OSHA’s ten most cited safety violations this year.
Topping the list for eleven consecutive years
Each year, OSHA announces the Top 10 most cited workplace safety violations. For the eleventh consecutive fiscal year, lack of fall protection topped the list. This preliminary list represents OSHA data from fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021).
A valuable tool and reminder
Employers use the list as a tool to assess the safety of their organization. According to Patrick Kapust, Deputy Director of OSHA Enforcement Programs, the Top 10 reveals what OSHA is finding over and over again on a routine basis in workplaces.
The standards that make up the Top 10 remained unchanged from 2020, with several swapping positions within the list. Respiratory Protection rose to #2 from #3; Hazard Communication dropped to #5 from #2; and Powered Industrial Trucks dropped to #9 from #7 last year.
The full 2021 list and number of violations:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements: 5,295 violations
- Respiratory Protection: 2,527
- Ladders: 2,026
- Scaffolding: 1,948
- Hazard Communication: 1,947
- Lockout/Tagout: 1,698
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,666
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: 1,452
- Powered Industrial Trucks: 1,420
- Machine Guarding: 1,113
The Tri-State/Service Group works continuously to improve safety performance–evaluating and refining processes daily–with a zero injury and illness goal through their safety program “Working. Safe.”