OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Workplace Safety Violations for 2017

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently revealed the preliminary list of the Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2017. Presented by Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, this list was shared at the 2017 NSC Congress & Expo, the largest annual safety event.

Although the rankings on OSHA’s Top 10 list are fairly consistent year over year, there’s a new entry this time around: “Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503).”

Deborah A.P. Hersman, President and CEO of the National Safety Council (NSC), highlighted the significance of the list: “The OSHA Top 10 is more than just a list; it’s a blueprint for keeping workers safe. When we all work together to address hazards, we can do the best job possible to ensure employees go home safely each day.”

Here’s the preliminary Top 10 list for FY 2017:

1. Fall Protection; General Requirements (1926.501) – 6,072 citations
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – 4,176 citations
3. Scaffolding (1926.451) – 3,288 citations
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 3,097 citations
5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 2,877 citations
6. Ladders (1926.1053) – 2,241 citations
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 2,162 citations
8. Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 1,933 citations
9. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) – 1,523 citations
10. Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305) – 1,405 citations

Stay tuned for the final report, which will be featured in the December edition of the Council’s Safety+Health magazine.

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The Atlantic Research Team is our in-house editorial staff. Content published under this name is a collaborative effort, written and reviewed by multiple safety and HR specialists to ensure all information is accurate, practical, and up to date.

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