Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2024

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 to protect workers’ health and safety. Most U.S. private-sector employers are subject to OSHA regulations, which require them to remove workplace hazards when possible or take other measures to protect workers from harm. 

Unfortunately, many workers are still injured and even killed annually in serious workplace accidents, many of them violations of specific OSHA regulations. Each year, the National Safety Council (NSC) compiles a list of the most frequently cited standards for the fiscal year. This list is critical because it provides insight into workplace trends and offers employers direction for where they should focus their efforts to better protect workers and improve compliance. 

Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2024

Here is the list of OSHA’s top 10 safety violations during FY 2024 from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024: 

1. Fall Protection — General Requirements (1926.501): 6,307 Violations

For 14 consecutive years, OSHA’s Fall Protection Standards has ranked as the most cited workplace violation among U.S. employers. This violation accounts for nearly a quarter (24%) of all violations. These fall protection requirements apply to the design and physical hazard controls that employers must implement or provide to protect workers from falls. 

2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,888 Violations

In 2024, 2,888 citations were related to employers not complying with the Hazard Communication Standard. This governs chemical hazards for chemicals imported into or produced in the workplace, as well as the communication of various chemical hazards to workers. 

3. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,573 Violations

This OSHA ladder standard for the construction industry was the #3 most violated standard in 2024. This ladder standard provides specific guidelines on load ratings, points of contact, offset requirements, and more for self-supporting ladders, non-self-supporting ladders, and fixed ladders. While U.S.-made ladders meet OSHA standards, employers and workers must still know how to properly inspect and use ladders to avoid accidents. 

4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,470 Violations

The next frequently-cited OSHA standard is the one for respiratory protection. This standard requires that employers develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for situations in which permissible exposure limits (PELs) of airborne contaminants exceed certain levels or when the work site or employer requires the use of respiratory protection by workers. 

5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,443 Violations

Workers maintaining, servicing, or working with machinery or equipment are at risk of severe injuries or death if proper lockout/tagout procedures aren’t in place. This standard outlines controls and safeguards to ensure that those working with or on this equipment are not at risk of electrocution, burns, amputation, fractures, or other serious injuries. 

6. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,248 Violations

The next highest violation number in 2024 was OSHA’s Powered Industrial Truck Standard, which outlines a framework for the safe operation of powered industrial trucks like pallet jacks and forklifts. It also details items like operator training and certification, equipment maintenance and inspection, and safe materials handling. 

7. Fall Protection — Training Requirements (1926.503): 2,050 Violations

Another area where many employers fall short is in fall protection training as required by OSHA. The federal agency requires that all employees who may be exposed to fall hazards receive appropriate training with the knowledge and skills to identify hazards, implement safeguards, and properly use fall protection equipment. 

8. Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,873 Violations

Working at heights is incredibly dangerous. That’s why OSHA regulates employers that have their workers using scaffolding, which is defined as elevated work platforms, so they know how to use the equipment and can easily spot safety hazards. This standard, which is commonly violated, details the proper erection, use, and disassembly of scaffolding.  

9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment — Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,814 Violations

The 9th most frequently cited OSHA standard of 2024 was the one for Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment — Eye and Face Protection. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workers suffered 18,510 eye-related illnesses and injuries in 2020. This standard is meant to protect workers from these tragedies by requiring certain face and eye protection, depending on the industry and the type of work being done. 

10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,541 Violations

Finally, there were over 1,500 machine guarding violations in 2024. This OSHA standard is quite short by intention because it is meant to cover all types of machinery. There are, however, many letters of interpretation (LOIs) clarifying how this standard should protect workers from machine hazards. 

Learn More About Workers’ Protections and Rights

Without OSHA standards, there would be even more work-related accidents, injuries, and deaths than those currently experienced. If you are a worker in just about any industry, OSHA protections give you the right to a healthy and safe work environment. 

If you believe your employer is currently in violation of OSHA regulations, you have the right to file an official and confidential complaint. If you’ve been injured at work or simply want to learn more about your rights and your employer’s responsibilities, an OSHA Injury Attorney can help.