It’s that time of year again for OSHA to announce the Top 10 Citations!
It’s that time of year again! OSHA released preliminary data for the top 10 most-cited standards in General Industry and Construction during fiscal year 2022. The data includes violations cited between Oct. 1, 2021, and Sept. 6, 2022.
For the 12th year running, Fall Protection was the most frequently cited standard with more than double the citations of the second most-cited standard, Hazard Communication. OSHA spends more than 50% of their time investigating construction complaints and incidents and fall prevention continues to be high priority focus.
The 10 most-cited standards in 2022 remained the same as in 2021, though the order shifted. Hazard Communication jumped from fifth to second, with a 25% increase in cited violations. The biggest drop occurred in Scaffolding, with a 19% decrease. Respiratory Protection, which surged early in the pandemic, fell from second to third, but was still more prominent than it had been before COVID-19. The chart below gives OSHA’s preliminary data alongside the final data from FY 2021.
| OSHA Standard | 2022 Violations | 2021 Rank & Violations |
| 1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) | 5,260 | No. 1 with 5,271 |
| 2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) | 2,424 | No. 5 with 1,939 |
| 3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) | 2,185 | No. 2 with 2,521 |
| 4. Ladders (1926.1053) | 2,143 | No. 3 with 2,018 |
| 5. Scaffolding (1926.451) | 2,058 | No. 4 with 2,538 |
| 6. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) | 1,977 | No. 6 with 1,670 |
| 7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) | 1,749 | No. 9 with 1,404 |
| 8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) | 1,556 | No. 7 with 1,660 |
| 9. Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) | 1,401 | No. 8 with 1,451 |
| 10. Machine Guarding (1910.212) | 1,370 | No. 10 with 1,105 |
This list is one indicator of what is happening in the U.S. workplace and where OSHA may be focused. Taking a deeper look at this list, we see that the programs cited also have a high risk of serious injury or illness if not established, communicated and maintained consistently.
It’s important for employers to review all health and safety programs at least annually and prioritize compliance gaps. If you need assistance, we have a team of health and safety professionals that can assist you to identify gaps in your programs and build policies, deliver training and ensure sustainable program implementation. Contact us today!
Written by Erin Rymsa, Director, Training Services