Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its top 10 most frequently cited violations for Fiscal Year 2019. The list remains largely unchanged from last year’s.
For the ninth consecutive year, “Fall Protection – General Requirements” topped the list with over 6,000 violations. The most cited section under Fall Protection was Section 1926.501(b)(13), requiring employees engaged in residential construction six feet or more above lower levels to be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. This one section accounted for over 4,300 of the violations for this standard.
The only change from FY 2018 was that Lockout/Tagout and Respiratory Protection traded places, with Lockout/Tagout taking the fourth spot on the list with over 2,500 violations. The most cited section for Lockout/Tagout was Section 1910.147(c)(4) regarding energy control procedures, with over 800 violations. Sections regarding training and communication (Section 1910.147(c)(7)) and periodic inspection (Section 1910.147(c)(6)) also had high numbers of citations. The most cited section for Respiratory Protection was Section 1010.134(e)(1), requiring employers to provide a medical evaluation to determine employees’ ability to use a respirator.
The full list:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (Sec. 1926.501): 6,010 violations
- Hazard Communication (Sec. 1910.1200): 3,671 violations
- Scaffolding (Sec. 1926.451): 2,813 violations
- Lockout/Tagout (Sec. 1910.147): 2,606 violations
- Respiratory Protection (Sec. 1910.134): 2,450 violations
- Ladders (Sec. 1926.1043): 2,345 violations
- Powered Industrial Trucks (Sec. 1910.178): 2,093 violations
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (Sec. 1926.503): 1,773 violations
- Machine Guarding (Sec. 1910.212): 1,743 violations
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (Sec. 1926.102): 1,411 violations
The same violations continue to plague worksites across industries from year to year. Employers are encouraged to review their workplaces and safety protocols to ensure they comply with all OSHA regulations.
