TOP TEN MOST FREQUENTLY CITED VIOLATIONS

OSHA violations incurred by companies are never taken lightly, but are typically avoidable. Simple steps to prevent these violations include: recognizing job hazards, annual training, and awareness. OSHA citations pose great hazards to a company’s workforce, ultimately costing companies more than fines, workers’ compensation claims, injuries, and fatalities for example. The intent of this article is to prove that training is a key element in reducing injuries. Below are the top 10 most frequently cited violations by federal OSHA (2015/2016):

 

2015 (Oct. 1, 2014 – Sept. 30, 2015)	2016 (Oct. 1, 2015 – Sept. 30, 2016)
1. 1926.501 – Fall Protection (C)	1. 1926.501 – Fall Protection (C)
2. 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication	2. 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication
3. 1926.451 – Scaffolding (C)	3. 1926.451 – Scaffolding (C)
4. 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection	4. 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection
5. 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout	5. 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout
6. 1910.178 – Powered Industrial Trucks	6. 1910.178 – Powered Industrial Trucks
7. 1926.1053 – Ladders (C)	7. 1926.1053 – Ladders (C)
8. 1910.305 – Electrical, Wiring Methods	8. 1910.212 – Machine Guarding
9. 1910.212 – Machine Guarding	9. 1910.305 – Electrical, Wiring Methods
10. 1910.303 – Electrical, General Requirements	10. 1910.303 – Electrical, General Requirements
(C) = Construction Standard

 

 

 

 

Keeping your workforce safe should be your main goal as a business entity. As for OSHA’s Top 10 list, fall protection (1926.501) is the most cited violation for the sixth straight year (safetyandhealthmagazine.com). This is problematic because every employer has the ability to plan ahead, provide the proper equipment, and train essential personnel to operate equipment safely.

 

Fall protection, like all from the above list, should be synonymous with training. If your personnel do not have the correct training to properly use specific fall protection systems and equipment, you may help fall protection be at the top of the list for a seventh straight year. Your equipment maintenance is of upmost importance to maintain and inspect. Proper inspection by your competent person(s) need to be conducted prior to every use. Annual training by your safety department maintains compliance. You owe it to your employees to have accurate training in place to have accurate compliance. Up-to-date information also ensures compliance and more importantly, safe personnel.

 

An interesting, and all too obvious note about the above list, is the almost identical positioning of violations from 2015 to 2016 (except with respect to Electrical, Wiring Methods and Machine Guarding, switching positions in 2016). It poses the question, why? Why are there companies repeatedly allowing these violations to become apparent and repetitive? Or is it that other companies aren’t informing themselves with these statistics and landing themselves on OSHA’s list? Or does OSHA tend to focus on these safety areas? Whatever the case may be, the above list is a good starting point for finding, and closing, gaps in your company’s safety program.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether you are the Safety Director or a front-line worker, the above list should be incorporated in your safety program. Just having words on a page in a safety manual is the bare minimum. Form vs. Function needs to be established and recognized for numbers 1-10 above, and beyond. So the next time you find yourself walking your facility or jobsite, recognize and look for the hazards/violations that may be listed above. If you don’t, the next visitor badge handed out at your facility may be given to an OSHA inspector telling you, “You made the list.” 

 

 

References:

 

United States Department of Labor (Ed.). (2016). Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from https://www.osha.gov/Top_Ten_Standards.html

 

Safety and Health Magazine (Ed.). (2016). OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations for 2016. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/14927-2016-oshas-top-10-most-cited-violations