OSHA's Top 10 Most Cited Violations of 2024

Fall protection has topped this list for 14 consecutive years. At this point it is the most persistent compliance failure in American workplaces. Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, and the vast majority are preventable with proper equipment and planning.

What the standard requires: Employers must provide fall protection for workers exposed to falls of six feet or more in construction (four feet in general industry). Acceptable systems include guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems.

Why employers keep getting cited: Job sites skip fall protection for "quick" tasks. Roofing, leading edge work, and unprotected floor openings are the most common triggers.

How to fix it:

• Conduct a pre-task hazard assessment before any elevated work begins
• Install guardrails on all open-sided floors and platforms above threshold height
• Ensure every exposed worker has a properly fitted, inspected harness
• Never allow "temporary" conditions that leave workers unprotected, even briefly

HazCom is the most cited general industry standard and has ranked second overall for three consecutive years. It applies to any employer that uses hazardous chemicals — which includes nearly every workplace in America.

What the standard requires: A written HazCom program, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every chemical on site, properly labeled containers, and documented employee training on chemical hazards.

Why employers keep getting cited: Incomplete SDS libraries, unlabeled secondary containers, and missing or outdated written programs are the three most common violations.

How to fix it:

• Conduct a full chemical inventory of your facility
• Verify you have an SDS for every chemical on that list
• Check that every container — including transfer containers — is properly labeled
• Review and update your written HazCom program at least annually

Ladder violations have climbed steadily up this list for six years. Most ladder-related injuries and deaths are falls — from wet rungs, standing on the top rung, or a poorly-supported portable ladder. Every one of these is preventable.

What the standard requires: Ladders must be inspected before each use, set at the correct angle (4:1 for extension ladders), extend at least three feet above the landing surface, and used only within their rated load capacity. Workers may not carry objects that compromise their grip on the ladder.

How to fix it:

• Inspect every ladder before use — remove any damaged ladders from service immediately
• Train workers on proper setup angle and three-point contact
• Post load ratings visibly on all ladders
• Never use the top two rungs of a stepladder

Respiratory protection jumped back to fourth in 2024 after falling to seventh in 2023. Industries cited most frequently include wood and countertop manufacturing, stone-cutting, and masonry — all environments with serious silica dust exposure.

What the standard requires: A written respiratory protection program, medical evaluations before respirator use, annual fit testing, proper training, and maintenance procedures.

How to fix it:

• Document your written respiratory protection program
• Ensure every respirator user has a current medical evaluation on file
• Conduct and document annual fit testing
• Train workers on proper use, seal checks, and storage

Lockout/Tagout moved up to fifth in 2024 with nearly a 24% increase in citations over the prior year — the only standard on the list to increase. LOTO violations kill and maim workers every year. Equipment that unexpectedly energizes during maintenance is one of the most dangerous situations in any industrial workplace.

What the standard requires: A written energy control program, equipment-specific lockout procedures for every piece of machinery serviced, trained authorized and affected employees, and annual program audits.

How to fix it:

• Document a written LOTO program
• Create machine-specific energy control procedures for all covered equipment
• Train authorized employees on the full 8-step procedure
• Conduct and document annual program inspections

Forklifts kill roughly 85 workers and seriously injure nearly 35,000 every year in the U.S. Most violations involve unsafe vehicle operations and failure to conduct required refresher training or operator evaluations.

What the standard requires: Operators must be trained and evaluated before operating a powered industrial truck. Refresher training is required after any unsafe incident, observation of unsafe operation, or assignment to a different truck type.

How to fix it:

• Ensure every forklift operator has documented training and evaluation on file
• Conduct and log daily pre-operation inspections
• Establish clear pedestrian separation zones in forklift operating areas
• Never skip refresher training after an unsafe incident

This is a companion to the #1 violation. Providing fall protection equipment without training workers how to use it isn't compliance — it's still a citation. Roofing and siding contractors see the highest number of violations in this category.

What the standard requires: Employers must train each worker exposed to fall hazards. Training must cover recognition of fall hazards and the correct procedures for minimizing them. Training must be documented.

How to fix it:

• Train every worker exposed to fall hazards before they begin work at heights
• Cover recognition of hazards and the specific protection system in use
• Retain written training records with the employee's name and training date
• Retrain when you observe unsafe behavior or conditions change

Scaffolding dropped from fourth in 2023 to eighth in 2024 as total violations declined. Common violations include missing fall protection for heights over ten feet, improper foundation support, incomplete planking, and no proper access method.

What the standard requires: Scaffolds must be designed and constructed to support four times the maximum intended load. Platforms must be fully planked. Fall protection is required when work surfaces are ten feet or more above lower levels.

How to fix it:

• Assign a competent person to inspect scaffolding before each work shift
• Ensure platforms are fully planked with no gaps
• Install guardrails or provide personal fall arrest systems at ten feet and above
• Document your competent person's qualifications

Most of these citations come down to one thing: employees not wearing the required eye protection. Construction work creates constant hazards from flying objects, debris, and materials. The standard is clear, the fix is straightforward, and the violations keep happening anyway.

What the standard requires: Employers must provide appropriate eye and face protection when workers are exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids, caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.

How to fix it:

• Conduct a PPE hazard assessment and document it
• Provide the correct type of protection for each task — glasses, goggles, or face shield
• Enforce use consistently — supervisors set the standard
• Replace damaged or scratched lenses promptly

Machine guarding violations are concentrated in manufacturing, particularly metal and machine shops. The consequences are severe — unguarded machines cause amputations, crush injuries, and fatalities. Common violations include improper guard types and inadequate point-of-operation guarding.

What the standard requires: One or more methods of machine guarding must be provided to protect operators and other employees from hazards such as points of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks.

How to fix it:

• Inventory all machinery with moving parts and identify guarding requirements for each
• Ensure guards are in place before each use and cannot be easily removed
• Never allow workers to operate equipment with guards removed or bypassed
• Include machine guarding in your LOTO procedures