Top 10 most Cited OSHA Violations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2020. In an exclusive webinar with Safety + Health magazine, Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented the preliminary data, and Kevin Druley, Safety + Health associate editor, moderated the session.

Although multiple standards swapped positions, the Top 10 violations from FY 2019 to FY 2020 did not change. Ladders (1926.1053) climbed to a top-five spot, and Respiratory Protection (1910.134) rose to the third rank from fifth. Additionally, the data show that Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501) is OSHA's most frequently cited standard for the 10th successive fiscal year. The good news is that Lockout Tagout (1910.147) stepped down from fourth rank to the sixth rank.

"In a year that was defined by the ongoing pandemic, workplace safety became more important than ever," said Lorraine M. Martin, NSC president and CEO. "The OSHA Top 10 list reminds us why we must continue to focus on persistent safety risks as we navigate new challenges. These data help us pinpoint areas where we can improve so we can better prioritize workplace safety in the future world of work."

The Top 10 OSHA Violations for FY 2020 are:

1. Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501): 5,424 violations
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3,199
3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,649
4. Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,538
5. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,129
6. Lockout Tagout (1910.147): 2,065
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,932
8. Fall Protection - Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,621
9. Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment - Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,369
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,313

Our Achievement:

Every single accomplishment through hard work and perseverance is a stepping stone to greater height. Yes, we are happy to announce that with each year passing by- Our struggles, our dedication, and our commitment towards saving workforce, is setting new benchmark! With the overwhelming response and significant cooperation from EHS heads, Safety enthusiasts, and Organizational leaders, E-Square has been working dedicatedly to minimize Lockout Tagout incidents, and we are happy that LOTO violations have stepped down from number 4th most cited violation (2,606) to number 6th most cited violation (2,065) in the current list of 2020.

Undoubtedly, the journey is long and requires total submission and continuous efforts, both from the top-Management and down the line workers, but even a single step towards success, is a remarkable achievement!

Certainly, a lot number of accidents are still happening continuously - 2,065 accidents as per the current stats, therefore, a lot more has to be done to reach the zero-accident status, as Lockout Tagout incidents are totally preventable. So, on the occasion of National Safety Week - 2021, we must dedicate ourselves towards enhancing isolation safety at our workplaces.

E-Square is a mission-based organization, working continuously to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, due to the release of Hazardous Energies. We are on a mission to create 1000 LOTO success stories in the year 2021 of companies achieving ZERO Incident status.

Once again, we thank all of you for your cooperation and support, and we hope that together we can all strive to create a culture that supports workplace safety and companies grow in a safer and healthier environment! YES - Together We can Do It!