Top 10 OSHA Violations (2025 List) & How to Avoid Them

Top 10 OSHA Violations (And How to Avoid Them)

Every September, OSHA releases its official list of the most frequently cited workplace safety violations from the previous fiscal year. This list isn't just a report card — it's a roadmap. These findings highlight the persistent risks facing workers across industries and signal where employers must focus their prevention efforts. Michael Best & Friedrich If your workplace appears in any of the industries below, consider this your early warning system.

Here are the top 10 OSHA violations for FY 2025 — and exactly how to avoid each one.

#1 — Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501)

5,914 violations

Fall protection has been the most cited OSHA regulation for 15 straight years. In 2023, there were 885 fatal falls in the U.S., and falls continue to be the leading cause of death in the construction industry. ROI Safety Services Unprotected edges, missing guardrails, and improper scaffolding practices are the most common triggers.

How to avoid it: Install guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems wherever workers are exposed to fall heights of 6 feet or more in construction (4 feet in general industry). Conduct regular fall protection audits before each shift.

#2 — Hazard Communication (1910.1200)

2,546 violations

Employers were cited for lacking written hazard communication programs, failing to train employees, or not properly labeling containers of hazardous chemicals — a gap that directly impacts worker awareness and safety in manufacturing, healthcare, and chemical industries. Michael Best & Friedrich

How to avoid it: Maintain an up-to-date written HazCom program, ensure all chemical containers are properly labeled, keep Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible, and train every employee who works near hazardous chemicals.

#3 — Ladders (1926.1053)

2,405 violations

Most ladder-related injuries and deaths are falls — whether from a wet rung, standing on the top rung of a step ladder, or a poorly-supported portable ladder. Each of these is an example of a preventable incident and an OSHA violation. ROI Safety Services

How to avoid it: Inspect ladders before each use, ensure proper angle setup (1:4 ratio for portable ladders), never stand on the top two rungs, and always maintain three points of contact. Include ladder safety training in onboarding.

#4 — Control of Hazardous Energy / Lockout/Tagout (1910.147)

2,177 violations

OSHA repeatedly finds employers not following proper lockout/tagout procedures, exposing workers to dangerous releases of energy during equipment servicing. Michael Best & Friedrich Plastic product manufacturers and machine shops lead this category.

How to avoid it: Develop a written Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) program, train all authorized and affected employees, use standardized lockout devices, and conduct annual inspections of energy control procedures.

#5 — Respiratory Protection (1910.134)

1,953 violations

Employers were cited for not implementing respiratory protection programs or failing to ensure fit testing and training, particularly in sectors with dust, fumes, or airborne hazards. Michael Best & Friedrich

How to avoid it: Conduct workplace air monitoring to determine if respirators are needed, complete medical evaluations before use, perform annual fit testing, and maintain a written respiratory protection program. Never allow workers to use respirators without proper training.

#6 — Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503)

1,907 violations

Having fall protection equipment is only half the battle — workers must also be trained to use it correctly. Several standards changed positions from FY 2024, and fall protection training remained a persistent compliance gap across construction sites. Soloprotect

How to avoid it: Provide documented fall protection training before workers are exposed to fall hazards. Training must cover recognition of fall hazards and the proper use of protection systems. Retrain workers whenever there is reason to believe they don't understand the training.

#7 — Scaffolding (1926.451)

1,905 violations

The most frequently cited industries for scaffolding violations were masonry, roofing, framing, and siding. OSHA Outreach Courses Common issues include overloading, missing guardrails, and improper plank installation.

How to avoid it: Ensure scaffolding is erected, moved, and dismantled only by trained workers under a competent person's supervision. Inspect all scaffold components before each shift and document findings. Scaffold safety compliance starts with knowing the weight limits for your specific system.

#8 — Powered Industrial Trucks / Forklifts (1910.178)

1,826 violations

Forklifts are among the most dangerous pieces of equipment in warehouses and manufacturing facilities. Powered industrial trucks consistently appear on OSHA's most cited list, with violations spanning operator certification, pre-operation inspections, and unsafe operating conditions. CONEXPO-CON/AGG

How to avoid it: Certify every forklift operator before they operate any powered industrial truck. Require daily pre-operation inspections, enforce speed and load limits, and evaluate operators every three years. Forklift safety training is not a one-time task.

#9 — Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)

1,665 violations

Workers in construction, welding, and chemical handling face serious eye hazards daily. Eye and face protection violations moved into the top 10 in FY 2025, reflecting ongoing gaps in personal protective equipment compliance across job sites. Soloprotect

How to avoid it: Conduct a PPE hazard assessment to identify tasks requiring eye or face protection, provide ANSI-approved safety glasses, goggles, or face shields, and enforce their use consistently. Document the assessment and keep records on file.

#10 — Machine Guarding (1910.212)

1,239 violations

Machine injuries can occur at the point of operation, from rotating and/or moving parts, or from flying chips or sparks. Employers in manufacturing industry sectors see the largest number of citations for violations of machine guarding requirements. NASP

How to avoid it: Ensure all machinery with moving parts has proper guards installed and that guards are never removed during operation. Conduct regular machine guarding inspections, train workers on the purpose of guards, and document all maintenance activities.

Why Do the Same Violations Appear Every Year?

The reasons these violations repeat include reactive safety practices instead of proactive prevention, insufficient training programs that don't reach all workers, gaps in communication between leadership, supervisors, and frontline employees, and resource constraints in industries facing labor shortages and tight budgets. Michael Best & Friedrich

The good news? Every single violation on this list is preventable.

Your 2026 OSHA Compliance Checklist

To stay off OSHA's radar this year, every employer should:

1. Conduct a workplace safety audit covering all 10 violation categories
2. Update written safety programs (HazCom, LOTO, Respiratory Protection)
3. Document all safety training records with employee signatures and dates
4. Perform regular equipment inspections and log the results
5. Assign a competent person to oversee fall protection, scaffolding, and machinery

Conclusion

The top 10 OSHA violations list is published every year for one reason: to give employers a chance to fix problems before an inspector — or a tragedy — forces the issue. While progress has been made in many workplaces, the consistency in citation rankings year after year signals there is more work ahead. EHS Insight Use this list as your compliance roadmap, invest in workplace safety training, and build a culture where safety comes first — because the cost of prevention is always less than the cost of a citation.