Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2019: Citations Drop 18 Percent, but List Unchanged

construction worker on scaffold

When the top 10 OSHA violations of 2019 were announced at the National Safety Council Congress and Expo on September 10, the biggest change was the number of citations issued, not the standards included on the list. The number of OSHA citations issued for each standard dropped dramatically in 2019 compared to 2018 – with up to 46 percent fewer citations in a single category. The total 2019 list represents 28,934 citations, which is 6,334 fewer than 2018.

This list of top OSHA violations typically changes very little from year to year, and 2019 has been no exception. Lockout / Tagout and Respiratory Protection swapped spots at number 5 and 6 compared to the 2018 list. This is the second year with no electrical violations in the top 10. The 2019 list covers a citation period between Oct. 1, 2018 and Aug. 15, 2019.

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements: 6,010 citations (-17% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1926.501

2. Hazard Communication: 3,671 citations (-19% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1910.1200

3. Scaffolds – General Requirements: 2,813 citations (-16% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1926.451

4. Lockout / Tagout: 2,606 citations (-12% vs 2018)
Standard: 1910.147

5. Respiratory Protection: 2,450 citations (-46% vs. 2018)
Standard:1910.134

6. Ladders: 2,345 citations (-17% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1926.1053

7. Powered Industrial Trucks: 2,093 citations (-9% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1910.178

8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,773 citations (-11% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1926.503

9. Machine Guarding: 1,743 citations (-12% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1910.212

10. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: 1,411 citations (-8% vs. 2018)
Standard: 1926.102

Do the reduced citation numbers reflect increased safety efforts by employers or reduced inspection activity by OSHA? Probably a combination of the two.

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