OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Violations for 2021 + Safety Resources

Every year, OSHA compiles a list of the 10 most-cited standard violations from the previous fiscal year. The list was recently revealed during a virtual presentation with Safety + Health magazine, where Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented the preliminary data.

The 2021 statistics show some slight changes from the 2020 list. Hazard communication dropped several places, with respiratory protection and ladders moving to No. 2 and No.3. Fall protection—general requirements stayed at the top of the list.

Top 10 Most-Cited Violations of Fiscal Year 2021

OSHA publishes this list to remind employers of the importance of safety and alert them of commonly cited standards, allowing them to pinpoint areas needing improvement.

Below are top 10 most frequently cited violations of 2021, along with resources to help you take the necessary steps to find and fix hazards in your workplace.

Standard Violation	Number of Violations	Prevention Resources
1. Fall Protection General Requirements (1926.501)	5,295	Loss Control Insights: Fall Protection 101 Loss Control Insights: Three Steps to Preventing Falls from Elevation Tech Sheet: Sidewalk Maintenance Program Template: Elevated Fall Prevention Program Generator Template: Slip and Fall Prevention Program
2. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)	2,527	Loss Control Insights: N95 Respirators: What You Need to Know Loss Control Insights: Tips for Selecting and Using Purifying Respirators  Safety Brief: Types of Respiratory Protection Template: EMC Respiratory Protection Program
3. Ladders (1926.1053)	2,026	Loss Control Insights: 10 Ways to Improve Ladder Safety in Your Workplace Loss Control Insights: Don't Fall for These Ladder Mistakes Safety Brief: Extension Ladder Tips  Tech Sheet: Portable Ladder Safety
4. Scaffolding (1926.451)	1,948	Loss Control Insights: Rental Scaffolding Inspections: Whose Job Is It? Safety Brief: Staying Safe Around Scaffolds Tech Sheet: Scaffolding Safety: Roles and Responsibilities
5. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)	1,947	Loss Control Insights: Do You Know Your Pictograms? Tech Sheet: Chemical Container Label Requirement Tech Sheet: Hazard Communication Program Tech Sheet: Hazardous Material Sign and Placard Requirements  Template: Hazard Communication Program Generator
6. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147)	1,698	Loss Control Insights: 4 Steps to Lockout/Tagout Success Safety Brief: Lockout/Tagout Template: Lockout/Tagout Program Generator
7. Fall Protection Training Requirements (1926.503)	1,666	Resources: Slips, Trips and Falls
8. Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)	1,452	Loss Control Insights: Tips for Battling Eye Injuries Safety Brief: Eye and Face Protection  Safety Brief: Personal Protective Equipment Eyes and Face
9. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)	1,420	Loss Control Insights: Understanding the Impact of Workplace Vibration Safety Brief: Hearing Hazards  Tech Sheet: Forklift Training Program
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212)	1,113	Safety Brief: Machine Guards Safety Brief: Machine Hazards Tech Sheet: Woodworking Shop Safety

How to Avoid OSHA Citations

To avoid OSHA fines and prevent worker injuries, illnesses and deaths, you should thoroughly review these standards and ensure you are complying with all employer requirements.

It’s also critical that if you develop and enforce a
safety program, you may want to consider implementing a safety committee. EMC has a robust collection of Tech Sheets and Safety Briefs that you can use as a starting point.

Learn More

• Safety Committee Ideas and Topics
• Getting More from Your Safety Committee
• Safety Management and Culture resources