NSC releases OSHA's Top 10 safety violations for FY19

The National Safety Council (NSC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have announced the preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2019. Patrick Kapust, the deputy director of OSHA directorate of enforcement programs, presented the Top 10 on the expo floor as part of the NSC 2019 Congress and Expo Sept. 6-12 in San Diego, the world’s largest annual gathering of safety professionals.

Out of the nearly 27,000 citations made in the fiscal year, Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) tops this year’s list for the ninth consecutive year, making up more than 20 percent of all citations. Meanwhile, Eye and Face Protection (1926.102), a newcomer to last year’s list, remains in the No. 10 spot, making up 5 percent of citations.

“Far too many preventable injuries and deaths occur on the job,” says Lorraine M. Martin, NSC president and CEO. “The OSHA Top 10 list is a helpful guide for understanding just how adept America’s businesses are in complying with the basic rules of workplace safety. This list should serve as a challenge for us to do better as a nation and expect more from employers. It should also serve as a catalyst for individual employees to re-commit to safety.”

The Top 10 for fiscal year 2019 are listed in the table below.