The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently revealed the top 10 safety violations for 2024 at the National Safety Council Safety 2024 Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida.
Scott Ketcham, Director of the Directorate of Enforcement Programs for OSHA, revealed this year’s list, which regularly provides an annual indication of challenges and risks safety managers face on the job.
OSHA’s Top Safety Violations for 2024
According to OHS Online, fall protection violations led the pack for the 14th year in a row. OSHA’s General Requirements were violated over 6,300 times, while Fall Protection Training Requirements (Ranked #7 on the list) saw over 2,000 violations. Slips, trips and falls are regularly cited as some of the most common accidents in the workplace and led to over 46,000 deaths as recently as 2022. OSHA’s list may indicate there’s room for improvement in safety training and reporting, especially related to fall protection gear and policies.
Other top violations included Hazard Communication, Ladders, and Respiratory Protection. Each of these safety policies can lead to potentially fatal consequences on high-risk job sites. It can be difficult to prevent accidents from happening if nobody knows what’s going on. Ladder safety violations are an extension of falls and lead to over 500,000 injuries every year. Neglecting proper respiratory protection can also lead to serious illness or death, especially in workplaces regularly exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Here’s the full list of safety violations revealed to conference attendees:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) – 6,307 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – 2,888 violations
- Ladders (1926.1053) – 2,573 violations
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 2,859 violations
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 2,443 violations
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 2,248 violations
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) – 2,050 violations
- Scaffolding (1926.451) – 1,873 violations
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) – 1,814 violations
- Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 1,541 violations
How to Prevent Falls in the Workplace
Whether you’re tripping over a cord, falling down stairs or backing off a catwalk, it’s essential to take precautions to prevent slips, trips and falls. Here are four effective ways to keep job sites fall-free.
- Provide Proper Training. Safety Managers should properly train workers on how to navigate fall hazards. While OSHA doesn’t have any mandatory training, they do have regulations that provide recommendations for proper personal protective equipment, working conditions, and navigating walkways. Make sure you and your crew are up to date on all safety guidelines before working around potential fall hazards
- Wear Effective PPE. Fall protection is usually required while working at heights greater than 5 feet. While gloves, boots and helmets are great for basic protection while working at heights, workers should also wear fall harnesses that are tethered to a secure object, like a railing or beam. Personal fall protection can help prevent injuries while working on ladders, bridges, or any other elevated location.
- Encourage Safer Mindsets. Overconfidence while on a ladder or in an elevated position might not guarantee an injury, but they can increase the likelihood it’ll happen.
- Keep Work Spaces Clear. Serious slips or falls can happen on any surface. Make sure your job site has clear, unobstructed walkways. Use covers to secure electrical cords, keep equipment and materials organized and out of the way, and try to clean up any spills before they become a liability. All workplaces should also have clear access to exits in case of emergencies.
Want to learn more about recognizing and preventing unsafe acts and conditions on the job site? Check out our blog post today.
