For the ninth consecutive year, Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) has topped OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations list. The complete list for fiscal year 2019 includes:

1. Fall Protection – 1926.501
2. Hazard Communication – 1910.1200
3. Scaffolding – 1926.451
4. Lockout/Tagout – 1910.147
5. Respiratory Protection – 1910.134
6. Ladders – 1926.1053
7. Powered Industrial Trucks – 1910.178
8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements – 1926.503
9. Machine Guarding – 1910.212
10. Personal Protective and Life-Saving Equipment – Eye & Face Protection – 1926.102

In this article with Safety+Health, Deputy Director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs Patrick Kapust said, “These are common violations that we’re finding – they’ve been in place for a lot of years. The answers are out there, and employers shouldn’t feel like these are very complex issues.”

He further explains in the interview that the top 10 violations remain largely the same (with some variation in order) because employers don’t aggressively target these hazards in the workplace, despite OSHA’s resources. Falls remain the top cited hazard because they result in significant injuries and deaths.

That being said, falls, as well as the other top safety areas on the list, are easily preventable with the right training and commitment. Kapust suggests that the top 10 cited hazards are a good place to start when evaluating your workplace hazards. From OSHA’s perspective, targeted enforcement and outreach are two critical tools in getting employers to identify and correct hazards in the workplace. H&S professionals are encouraged to continue developing and promoting strong safety and health programs, as well as educating and training workers in safety awareness.

Read the entire Safety+Health article and interview with Kapust.