Top 10 Most Frequently Cited OSHA Standards

For Fiscal Year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021)

The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA for all industries. OSHA publishes the 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. Far too many preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths occur in the workplace that are related to these top 10 cited standards.

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

• 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