OSHA reveals top 10 violations of 2020

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced its preliminary top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2020.

In a webinar with Safety+Health magazine on Feb. 26, Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented the preliminary data. Kevin Druley, Safety+Health associate editor, moderated the session.

Although multiple standards swapped positions in the top 10 list, violations from 2019 to 2020 did not change. Ladders violations climbed to a top-five spot, and respiratory protection violations rose to the third rank, up from fifth. Additionally, the data shows that fall protection—general requirements is OSHA's most frequently cited standard for the 10th successive fiscal year.

"In a year that was defined by the ongoing pandemic, workplace safety became more important than ever," National Safety Council (NSC) president and CEO Lorraine M. Martin says. "The OSHA top 10 list reminds us why we must continue to focus on persistent safety risks as we navigate new challenges. These data help us pinpoint areas where we can improve so we can better prioritize workplace safety in the future world of work."

The top 10 violations for 2020 are:

1. Fall Protection—General Requirements (1926.501): 5,424 violations

2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3,199 violations

3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,649 violations

4. Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,538 violations

5. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,129 violations

6. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,065 violations

7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,932 violations

8. Fall Protection—Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,621 violations

9. Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,369 violations

10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,313 violations