Top 10 OSHA Violations to Watch Out For

Learn about the most common workplace injuries.

While every business faces their own risks, there are certain workplace hazards that are more prevalent than others. When business owners know about these common risks, they can take steps to protect against them. To make your place of business safer for everyone, here are OSHA’s top ten most frequently cited safety violations for 2018.

1) Fall Protection: 7,270 violations

Falls injure and kill more workers annually than any other type of workplace accident. Fall protection citations are most commonly issued when businesses fail to provide fall protection measures such as guardrails, coverings for floor openings, and personal fall arrest systems.

2) Hazard Communication: 4,552 violations

Many different types of chemicals are used in workplaces across the U.S., and many of these chemicals can cause serious health issues for workers. Employers were cited for failing to train workers to recognize, handle, and mitigate the hazards associated with the chemicals they were using.

3) Scaffolding: 3,336 violations

Scaffolding citations were commonly issued to employers who did not protect employees from falling to a lower level of scaffolding, not fully planking the entire scaffold, and not providing safe access to scaffold platforms.

4) Respiratory Protection: 3,118 violations

Violations were most commonly issued to employers who failed to have their workers undergo medical fit testing prior to using a respirator. Other employers were cited for not having a respiratory protection program and not providing information on respirator use to employees.

5) Lockout/Tagout: 2,944 violations

Lockout/Tagout procedures protect workers from being crushed when equipment starts up unexpectedly. Common violations included employers failing to require workers to lockout or tagout equipment before beginning work.

6) Ladders: 2,812 violations

Most ladder violations were issued when ladder side rails did not extend three feet or more past the upper landing surface and were nor secured. Other ladder violations include using ladders for purposes other than they were designed and standing on the top three rungs of a straight, single, or extension ladder.

7) Powered Industrial Trucks: 2,294 violations

All violations were related to allowing untrained employees to operate powered industrial trucks, forklifts, and motorized hand trucks.

8) Fall Protection Training Requirements: 1,982 violations

Employers were most commonly cited for failing to train employees on fall hazards and failing to keep written records when training did take place.

9) Machine Guarding: 1,972 violations

Most violations were issued when employers removed the machine guards that protect employee hands, clothing, and other items from being caught in machinery.

10) Eye and Face Protection: 1,536 violations

Citations were commonly issued to employers who did not ensure that workers were wearing personal protective equipment to protect against flying particles, chemicals, and other harmful substances.

These are OHSA’s top ten most common safety violations for 2018. Want to keep your employees and business safe from every risk? If so, then make sure you have the right business insurance protections in place. For assistance with all your commercial coverage needs, contact the experts at Robert J. Los Insurance Agency in Hamburg, New York today.