OSHA
Top 10 OSHA Violations In 2017
Although every business has unique workplace hazards , many businesses also share common pain points that threaten employee safety and can lead to costly OSHA violations . OSHA recently released its 10 most frequently cited violations during its fiscal year 2017 , which started in October 2016 and ended the following September .
OSHA ’ s list of frequently cited violations may help you identify common pain points in your workplace . Here ’ s the list of the top 10 violations in 2017 :
1 . FALL PROTECTION 6,072 CITATIONS
Falls from ladders and roofs still account for the majority of injuries at work , and the first step in eliminating or reducing falls is to identify all hazards and decide how to best protect employees .
2 . HAZARD COMMUNICATION : 4,176 CITATIONS
This standard governs hazard communication to employees about chemicals that are both produced or imported into the workplace . Most violations concern the failure to develop a written hazard training program or failure to provide a Safety Data Sheet for all workplace chemicals .
3 . SCAFFOLDING : 3,288 CITATIONS
The vast majority of scaffold accidents can be attributed to planking or support giving way . Employers should ensure that all scaffolding is set up and inspected by a qualified employee before it ’ s used .
4 . RESPIRATORY PROTECTION : 3,097 CITATIONS
Employers must establish and maintain a respiratory inspection program to protect employees from oxygen-deficient atmospheres and hazardous materials .
5 . LOCKOUT / TAGOUT : 2,877 CITATIONS
Employees who service mechanical and electrical equipment face the greatest risk of injury if logout / tagout standards aren ’ t properly followed .
6 . LADDERS : 2,241 CITATIONS
Most ladder violations occur when ladders are used for purposes other than those designated by the manufacturer , when they aren ’ t used on stable surfaces or when defective ladders aren ’ t taken out of service .
7 . POWERED INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS : 2,162 CITATIONS
Many employees are injured when lift trucks or forklifts are driven off of loading docks or when they fall between docks and unsecured trailers .
8 . MACHINE GUARDING : 1,933 CITATIONS
Machine parts can cause serious injuries , but the risk is substantially reduced by installing and maintaining proper machine guards .
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