At the National Safety Council's 2025 Safety Congress and Expo in September, OSHA unveiled its top 10 most frequently cited standards. Eric Harbin, OSHA regional administrator, revealed that for the 15th year, fall protection holds its place at the top of the list. Harbin said the non-compliance of small businesses is the biggest contributor. OSHA's plan is to help those businesses help themselves.
The agency will focus on increasing use of free consultation programs to help these businesses "learn how to improve their compliance," reported OSHonline.
"They have the ability, they have the desire, they just need the knowledge," Harbin said in his safety expo presentation.
And unfortunately, said Harbin, the number of violations will likely grow once the agency releases finalized 2025 data next spring.
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"I encourage small and medium-sized employers to reach out to OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program," he said.
OSHA publishes its top 10 most-cited standards each year to alert employers, noted safetyandhealthmagazine.com.
The agency hopes these employers, once they know, will take steps to find and fix recognized hazards before the agency shows up to the job site.
"These recurring violations … underscore how many incidents remain preventable with the right safety practices," said OSHA Online Center.
The e-learning platform believes this list serves as both a warning and a guide to strengthen compliance efforts.
"It emphasizes the continued importance of proactive training, workplace inspections and employee awareness to reduce risks and protect lives."
The training organization believes OSHA's list isn't just for ranking but is "a roadmap" to improve workplace safety.
"The list helps employers recognize which areas pose the greatest risks and where compliance gaps most often occur," OSHA Online Center said in a blog post.
Many of these violations are the result of everyday hazards, such as falls, poor communication about chemicals or improper equipment use.
All of these infractions are preventable with training and vigilance, believes the e-learning organization.
"Small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, often struggle not because they ignore safety, but because they lack dedicated safety resources or expertise."
Once Again at Top of List
Fall protection is atop the list of the most frequently cited standards, for the 15th year. There were 5,914 violations of the standard as of September.
The standard details fall protection requirements, such as where, which systems for a given situation, proper construction and installation of safety systems. It also gives requirements for the proper supervision of employees to prevent falls.
The rule is designed to protect employees on walking-working surfaces, both horizontal or vertical, with an unprotected side or edge above 6 ft.
OSHA Online Center notes that fall protection violations are among the most common and deadly in construction.
"Many incidents occur because employers fail to provide proper guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems when working at heights," it said.
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Plus, workers often lack training on how to use fall protection gear correctly or how to identify potential fall hazards.
"Addressing these issues through proactive safety planning and regular inspections can drastically reduce serious injuries and fatalities from falls, said the organization.
Number two on OSHA's top 10 list is hazard communication. The standard focuses on hazards related to chemicals, both produced on site and imported to the site.
According to OSHA Online Center, hazard communication stands as a frequent issue especially for industries that handle chemicals daily.
Violations typically involve missing or outdated Safety Data Sheets (SDS), unlabeled containers or insufficient employee training on hazardous substances.
The e-learning center said that oversights can lead to serious exposure incidents and long-term health risks.
"Implementing clear labeling practices, maintaining accessible SDS records and conducting regular refresher training ensures a safer and more compliant workplace."
The ladders standard made the number three spot on OSHA's top 10 list. The standard, which continues to challenge employers, covers all types of ladders.
Violations of this standard often stem from improper use or neglect of maintenance, noted OSHA Online Center.
"Common issues include using damaged ladders, placing them on unstable surfaces or exceeding weight limits."
Such errors lead to thousands of preventable falls and injuries each year, the training firm said.
"Regular ladder inspections, proper storage and hands-on safety training for employees can significantly reduce ladder-related accidents on job sites."
OSHA Online Center believes the "recurring appearance" of these top three citations highlights that many workplace injuries are preventable.
"These trends suggest that awareness alone isn't enough; consistent training, hazard assessments and safety culture reinforcement are key," it said. "Regular inspections, employee engagement and leadership commitment can bridge the gap between compliance and real-world safety."
Turning lessons from these citations into proactive measures means organizations can move from reacting to preventing accidents, said the e-learning center.
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"Preventing OSHA citations starts with a proactive, structured approach to workplace safety," it added.
First, employers should conduct regular site inspections to identify and address potential hazards before they escalate into violations. Then, ongoing staff training will ensure every employee understands proper safety procedures, equipment use and emergency protocols.
"Clear signage, accurate SDS and up-to-date compliance documentation demonstrates a strong safety culture and readiness for inspections," said the training firm.
"OSHA's most cited standards in 2025 remind employers that the same safety challenges continue to affect worksites across industries," said the firm.
Addressing these issues starts with awareness, consistent training, and proactive safety management, it stressed.
"In today's evolving work environments, staying compliant isn't just about avoiding fines; it's about protecting people and ensuring every employee goes home safe."
Rounding Out OSHA's Top 10 List
Lockout/Tagout came in at number four on OSHA's top 10 list. The standard outlines minimum performance requirements for the control of hazardous energy.
This standard outlines the control of energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. Employers are required to establish a program of energy-control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections.
This is meant to prevent injury by isolating a machine from the energy source and render it inoperative before the employee services the unit.
Respiratory protection citations are on the list at number five. The standard directs employers on establishing or maintaining a respiratory protection program. Requirements for program administration; worksite-specific procedures; respirator selection; employee training; and fit testing are included.
Also included are rules regarding medical evaluation; respirator use; and respirator cleaning, maintenance and repair.
The rule states that the employer must provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator. That evaluation must occur before the employee is fit-tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace.
The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.
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At number six on OSHA's Top 10 list is fall protection training requirements, addressing those specifically of the employer. The employer must provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards.
The program must enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and train each employee in procedures to minimize these hazards.
At number seven on the citations list is scaffolding and the standard covers general safety requirements for the structures. Scaffolds should be designed by a qualified person, according to OSHA, and construction and loaded in line with that design.
Employers are bound to protect construction workers from falls and falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at heights of 10 ft. or higher.
Powered industrial trucks are number eight on OSHA's most cited standards list. The standard covers the design, maintenance and operation of these machines.
The machines covered by the standard include forklifts and motorized hand trucks. It also covers operator training requirements. The employer must certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required. Certification must include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation and the identity of the trainer or evaluator.
If the powered truck is in need of repair, the defective or unsafe truck must be taken out of service until it is restored to safe operating condition.
Violations of OSHA's personal protective and lifesaving equipment standard regarding eye and face protection is number nine on the Top 10 citation list.
Addressing appropriate PPE for workers exposed to eye or face hazards, it includes risks such as flying particles and chemical gases or vapors. The employer must ensure each employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to hazards.
Hazards cited include molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids or light radiation.
Last on OSHA's Top 10 list is machine guarding. The standard protects operators and employees from hazards including those created by point of operation.
Other hazards cited include ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks.
One or more methods of machine guarding must be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area.
The agency knows "significant progress" has been made in improving workplace conditions but said it can't achieve its mission with enforcement only.
"That's why we're taking a balanced approach — one that values partnerships and strong compliance assistance as essential strategies alongside traditional enforcement." CEG
