Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Top 10 List
Fall protection continues to lead OSHA's 'Top 10' list of safety violations in 2019
Fall Protection comes in as number one for eight years in a row.
OSHA Top 10 Violations in 2019
Top 10 most frequently cited standards in 2019
- Fall Protection, Construction
(29 CFR 1926.501) - Hazard Communication
(29 CFR 1910.1200) - Scaffolding, General Requirements, Construction
(29 CFR 1926.451) - Lockout/Tagout
(29 CFR 1910.147) - Respiratory Protection, Personal Protective Equipment (29 CFR 1910.134)
- Ladders, Construction (29 CFR 1926.1053)
- Powered Industrial Trucks, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.178)
- Fall Protection - Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503)
- Machinery and Machine Guarding, General Requirements (29 CFR 1910.212)
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment - Eye and Face Protection (29 CFR 1926.102)
Scaffolding remained number three highest penalties assessed in 2019
Highest Penalties in 2019
OSHA assessed with the highest penalties, per most frequent citation.
- 6,010 violations for Fall Protection - General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501)
- 3.671 violations for Hazard Communication: (29 CFR 1910.1200)
- 2,813 violations for Scaffolding
(29 CFR 1926.451) - 2,606 violations for Lockout/Tagout
(29 CFR 1910.147) - 2,450 violations for Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134)
- 2,345 violations for Ladders (29 CFR 1926.1053)
- 2,093 violations for Powered Industrial Trucks
(29 CFR 1910.178) - 1,773 violations for Fall Protection - Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503)
- 1,743 violations for Machinery and Machine Guarding, General Requirements (29 CFR 1910.212)
- 1,411 violations for Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment - Eye and Face Protection
(29 CFR 1926.102)
.
Companies are still being fined for not being compliant with GHS, even though we're a few years into the standard.
Five OSHA Trends to watch in 2019
Did you see that? Watch out for the drones
In May of 2018, OSHA issued a memo authorizing OSHA compliance officers to use Unmanned Aircraft Systems ("UAS" or "drones") to conduct workplace inspections. But compliance officers must obtain express consent from their employer before the drone is launched.
As of now, OSHA has used drones only with employers' permission, at worksites where an accident occurred and the area was too dangerous for inspectors to enter.
Increased fines for OSHA violations are pricy
On January 23, 2019, OSHA increased the maximum civil penalties on employers cited for safety violations to adjust for inflation per the Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.
Fines for noncompliance with Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.
By now, we're over a few years into GHS requirements and if companies are not compliant, they can now be fined for not complying with GHS standard. Why is Hazard Communication still number two on the top 10 OSHA list?
