The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards by Federal OSHA in fiscal year 2021 (October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021):

  1. Fall Protection, construction: 5,295 violations (29 CFR 1926.501) [resources]
  2. Respiratory Protection, general industry: 2,527 (29 CFR 1910.134) [resources]
  3. Ladders, construction: 2,026 (29 CFR 1926.1053) [resources]
  4. Hazard Communication, general industry: 1,947(29 CFR 1910.1200) [resources]
  5. Scaffolding, construction: 1,948 (29 CFR 1926.451) [resources]
  6. Fall Protection Training, construction: 1,698 (29 CFR 1926.503) [resources]
  7. Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry: 1,666 (29 CFR 1910.147) [resources]
  8. Eye and Face Protection, construction: 1,452 (29 CFR 1926.102) [resources]
  9. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry: 1,420 (29 CFR 1910.178) [resources]
  10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry: 1,113 (29 CFR 1910.212) [resources]

OSHA publishes its Top 10 List to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards and save lives. Employers need to carefully evaluate and monitor their job sites to identify and abate fall hazards on an ongoing basis. Learn More