Source: https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards
OSHA(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) comes out with a list of the top standard citations they give out each year. These come out roughly in April for the previous Fiscal Year, which happens to be Oct-Sept for the previous time period. So in this case, the 2022 Fiscal Year citations listed below are from October 2021-September 2022.
The 2023 list should be coming out this April 2024, showing the 2023 Fiscal Year citations from Oct 2022-Sept 2023. (See that list here!)(coming soon!)
See list here with additional resources: https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards
1. Fall Protection, construction – 5,915
Fall Protection addresses things like the use of guardrails on worksites (temporary guardrails, scaffolding guardrails, and around stairs), properly covering holes, safety net systems and more. Read more about Fall Protection in construction settings over on the OSHA website. https://www.osha.gov/otm/section-5-construction-operations/chapter-4
2. Hazard Communication, general industry – 2,639
Hazard communication citations are largely related to the labeling of different materials and chemicals for the employees who use or work around those materials. See the full rules for this standard here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1200
3. Ladders, construction – 2,449
Stairways and Ladders, a boy has gotta climb. Read the standard here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1053
4. Respiratory Protection, general industry – 2,412
Is inhaling asbestos good? Should my mask be snug as a bug in a rug? What type of respirator should I wear for the job to be safe? All good questions. Let OSHA help: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.134
5. Scaffolding, construction – 2,251
No one tells you that one of the scariest parts of living in a city, after cars, is scaffolding. Walking under it is scary. Seeing people up on it is scary. Windy days are especially scary for scaffolding. Not to mention the likely mob connection to scaffolding being installed. Be safe: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.451
6. Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry – 2,139
This one is about things plugged into energy sources, or have stored energy, such as batteries. From here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.147
This standard covers the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees. This standard establishes minimum performance requirements for the control of such hazardous energy.
7. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry – 1,896
Are you Fork Lift Certified? I hope so! Here are the vehicles included: fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. See more here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.178
8. Fall Protection Training, construction – 1,762
Do you think the high level of citations for Fall Protection Training is related to Fall Protection being the most common citation? Hmmmm, hard to tell. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.503
9. Eye and Face Protection, construction – 1,572
Keep those peepers peeping. Protect those eyes…and face too, I guess. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.102
10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry – 1,469
When machines move or spin fast (or hot!), there is bound to be “stuff” shooting off in different ways, from wood chips, to sparks, to metal shrapnel. You got to guard, is what I always say. Read more here: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.212
