OSHA Compliance

Which OSHA regulations are most commonly violated? Take a look at the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards. The preliminary list relies on information from October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

1. Fall Protection - General Requirements (29 CFR 1926.501) – view Fall Protection Training solutions  
2. Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134) – view OSHA Respiratory Protection solutions  
3. Ladders (29 CFR 1926.1053) – view OSHA Ladder & Stairway solutions  
4. Scaffolds (29 CFR 1926.451) – view OSHA Scaffolding solutions  
5. Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) – view OSHA Hazard Communication solutions  
6. Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) – view OSHA Lockout/Tagout solutions  
7. Fall Protection - Training Requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) – view Fall Protection Training solutions  
8. Personal Protective Equipment  - Eye and Face protection (29 CFR 1926.102) – view Eye and Face Protection solutions  
9. Powered Industrial Trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) – view OSHA Forklift Safety solutions  
10. Machine Guarding (29 CFR 1910.212) – view OSHA Machine Guarding solutions 

With the buzz surrounding OSHA's stepped-up enforcement, employers often wonder what their chances are for an inspection. While almost any employer could be inspected on any given day, there are certain factors that increase the likelihood of an inspection, including:

• Imminent danger — often triggered by a call from an employee or member of the public, a referral from another agency or a plain-view observation.
• Fatality/catastrophe — triggered by incidents involving a death, hospitalization, amputation, or loss of eye.
• Worker complaints and referrals — triggered by allegations of hazards or violations.
• Targeted inspections — triggered by National Emphasis Programs, and Regional and Local Emphasis Programs.
• Follow-up inspections — triggered by citations issued in the past. OSHA conducts follow-up inspections to ensure hazards have been abated at a specific facility and other locations of the same company where it believes similar hazards likely exist.

OSHA conducts approximately 40,000 inspections per year, resulting in adjusted penalties of approximately $35 million. See below for more facts and figures regarding OSHA inspection.

The following table shows how frequently different types of OSHA inspections generally occur. Employers should take note of programmed inspections, which OSHA conducts to target certain industries, hazards, or workplaces. In addition, employers should realize that reporting a serious injury to OSHA increases chances of either a phone investigation or onsite-inspection. While employers can’t prevent inspectors from showing up, they can be prepared by knowing the likelihood of an inspection.