For the 13th consecutive year, general requirements for fall protection topped the list of the most-cited violations recorded by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Region 6 Administrator Eric Harbin presented OSHA’s annual top 10 list at the recent National Safety Council (NSC) Safety Congress & Expo in New Orleans. The numbers covered the 2023 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023).
Fall Protection-General Requirements featured a total of 7,271 violations, more than double that of the second-highest cited item, Hazard Communication (3,213). Ladders (2,978) and Scaffolding (2,859) came in third and fourth on the list, further highlighting the need for proper precautions when working at heights.
The order of the top 10 violations remained largely the same as in 2022, with only two items moving more than one spot in either direction. Respiratory Protection fell from fourth to seventh on the list, while Powered Industrial Trucks climbed from seventh to fifth.
OSHA’s Top 10 Most-Cited Safety Violations of 2023
Standard (Standard Number) – Violations
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) – 7,271
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – 3,213
- Ladders (1926.1053) – 2,978
- Scaffolding (1926.451) – 2,859
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 2,561
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 2,554
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 2,481
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) – 2,112
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) – 2,074
- Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 1,644
The knowledge for mitigating hazards in each of these categories is covered across the wide range of BCSP examination blueprints. View each of the BCSP credential offerings to see how they can help you build your skills as a safety professional.
BCSP also offers a variety of free resources that can help you address hazards and build a strong safety culture. Check out the catalog of on-demand BCSP Webinars or listen to two new podcast series – My Big Safety Challenge, a collaboration with Dale Carnegie, and Safety on Location.
BCSP is proud to collaborate with OSHA to keep workplaces safe through the BCSP-OSHA Alliance.