Safety

Prevention Costs Less: Top 10 OSHA Cited Standards in 2020

By Darcy Cook, Safety Trainers

The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by Federal OSHA. OSHA publishes this list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards addressed in these and other standards before OSHA shows up.  

Are you familiar with the Regional Emphasis Programs for Region 1 or the National Emphasis Programs? These programs allow area OSHA offices to come to your facility to do an inspection on specific topics without a referral, complaint or injury occurring.

Did you know that COVID-19 is now a National Emphasis Program?

Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards for Fiscal Year 2020 (Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020)
Manufacturing Companies should make sure that the following programs with an asterisk (*) are current and meet all the required state and federal regulations.

1. Fall Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
2. *Hazard Communication Standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
3. *Respiratory Protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
4. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
5. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
6. *Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
7. *Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
8. Fall Protection–Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
9. Eye and Face Protection (29 CFR 1926.102) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
   
   
10. *Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.212) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]

To search the top violations of an industry with a specific NAICS code, see https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/citedstandard.html

To search and view the industry profile for violations of any specific OSHA standard, see https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/industryprofile.html

Darcy Cook, CHSO, SHS, PTA, is President of Safety Trainers, a division of Cook Professional Resources, Inc. (Worcester, MA). She can be reached at (508) 799-2857 or at [email protected] or www.safetytrainers.com