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644 Understanding OSHA
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644 Understanding OSHA

Most Frequently Cited Standards

The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA for all industries for Fiscal Year 2025 (Oct. 1, 2024, through Aug. 12, 2025).

Image showing an employee outside on a platform using fall protection
OSHA's top 10 most frequently cited violations involve many of the same standards. Check it out on OSHA's website.

Top 10 Violations for Fiscal Year 2025

OSHA publishes the "Top 10" list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards addressed in these and other standards before OSHA shows up. Workers suffer preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths related to the hazards addressed in these standards.

  1. Fall Protection, Construction: Total violations - 5,914 (29 CFR 1926.501) [related safety resources]
  2. Hazard Communication, General Industry: Total violations - 2,546 (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related safety resources]
  3. Ladders, Construction: Total violations - 2,405 (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related safety resources]
  4. Lockout/Tagout, General industry: Total violations - 2,177 (29 CFR 1910.147) [related safety resources]
  5. Respiratory Protection, General Industry: Total violations - 1,953 (29 CFR 1910.134) [related safety resources]
  6. Fall Protection Training, Construction: Total violations - 1,907 (29 CFR 1926.503) [related safety resources]
  7. Scaffolding, Construction: Total violations - 1,905 (29 CFR 1926.451) [related safety resources]
  8. Powered Industrial Trucks, General Industry: Total violations - 1,826 (29 CFR 1910.178) [related safety resources]
  9. Eye and Face Protection, Construction: Total violations - 1,665 (29 CFR 1926.102) [related safety resources]
  10. Machine Guarding, General Industry: Total violations - 1,239 (29 CFR 1910.212) [related safety resources]

Fall Protection and Hazard Communication standards are consistently at or near the top of the list, so make sure you have an effective hazard communication program. Actually, it's smart safety management to give priority to each of the Top 10 in your safety program. After all, the following statement is true:

"That which OSHA sees the most, cites the most."

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

4-2. Which two standards are always at the top of OSHA's Top Ten Most Cited List?

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