Media Center

By Brian Hoagland

Each year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its top 10 violations.

This year’s list looks similar to years past, but some hazards gained a more prominent ranking.

1. Fall Protection – With 6,307 violations in fiscal year 2024, fall protection maintained its top ranking, but the number of violations declined from 2023’s 7,271. Fall protection has held the top spot for the past 10 years.
2. Hazard Communication – 2,888 violations
3. Ladders – 2,573 violations
4. Respiratory Protection moved up from number seven with 2,470 violations. Scaffolding held this spot last year.
5. Lockout/Tagout – 2,443 violations
6. Powered Industrial Trucks – 2,248 violations. This category improved its ranking only slightly this year, up from number five in 2023.
7. Fall Protection, Training Requirements – 2,050 violations
8. Scaffolding – 1,873 violations
9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – 1,814 violations
10. Machine Guarding – 1,541 violations

There are ways to avoid these common violations, such as providing in-depth safety training to employees and providing personal protective equipment. Oswald partner KPA, a safety and compliance firm, provides more tips on how to create a safer work environment in this article.

Oswald can work with your team to determine the ways your organization can tighten its protocols and enhance safety features to gain more favorable visits from OSHA and lower insurance rates.

*OSHA released this list at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in September.