OSHA’s fiscal year ended earlier this fall and OSHA published its annual Top Ten violations for 2019.  It is striking that the most common violations for this year are the same from last year and the Top five have not changed for 5 years.  Because the Top 10 represent the most frequently cited standards, they are a good place to start for employers to identify hazards in their workplace.

Here is the full list of violations and links to the various standards:

  1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 7,270 violations
  2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,552
  3. Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,336
  4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 3,118
  5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,944
  6. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,812
  7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,294
  8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,982
  9. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,972
  10. Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,536

Take Away: Now that you know the most common OSHA violations, it’s a good time to review your safety plans to make sure you have plans and training in place to withstand an OSHA inspection.  If you need help with your safety plans, we recommend you consult with an experienced construction attorney.