OSHA Publishes List of Top Safety Violations for 2019

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), along with the National Safety Council (NSC), has published its annual list of the top safety violations for which employers have been cited. As an employer, you should familiarize yourself with these safety violations so that you can take the necessary precautions to prevent them from happening in your workplace.

#1) Fall Protection

Not surprisingly, fall protection topped OSHA's list as the most common safety violation in 2019. According to OSHA, 6,010 citations have been issued for fall protection-related violations. Falls consistently rank as one of the most common causes of injury in the workplace. As a result, OSHA requires employers to use signs, procedures and other safeguards to minimize the risk of fall-related injury.

#2) Hazard Communication

Second on OSHA's list of the top safety violations of 2019 is hazard communication. Employers in the United States are required to effectively communicate hazards and potential hazards to their employees. Otherwise, they could be cited for a hazard communication violation by OSHA. Thus far in 2019, OSHA has issued over 3,600 citations for hazard communication, making it the second-most common violation in 2019.

#3) Scaffolding

Coming in third on OSHA's list of the top safety violations of 2019 is scaffolding. When employees work at heights, OSHA requires the use of scaffolding. Scaffolding is designed to protect workers from fall-related injury, specifically injuries that occur at heights.. Construction workers, painting crews, landscape surveyors and many other professionals use scaffolding on a regular basis.

#4) Lockout/Tagout

The fourth-most common safety violation of 2019 is lockout/tagout. What is lockout/tagout exactly? It refers to the use of a locking mechanism on machines and heavy equipment to prevent operation. If a manufacturing machine requires maintenance, for example, the manufacturing company may use a locking mechanism so that it doesn't turn on while it's being serviced. Employers who fail to comply with this procedure could be cited by OSHA for lockout/tagout.

“Far too many preventable injuries and deaths occur on the job,” said NSC President and CEO Lorraine M. Martin. “The OSHA Top 10 list is a helpful guide for understanding just how adept America’s businesses are in complying with the basic rules of workplace safety. This list should serve as a challenge for us to do better as a nation and expect more from employers. It should also serve as a catalyst for individual employees to re-commit to safety.”