Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Workplace Safety Violations – 2019 Fiscal Year

The following top 10 most frequently cited safety violations are based on Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) inspections of worksites. The list is published by OSHA as an alert to employers about common cited violations. OSHA encourages employers to make common practice of finding and fixing recognized hazards prior to OSHA inspections.

For 9 consecutive years, Fall Protection – General Requirements has been at the top of the list. Eye and Face Protection first appeared on the list in 2018 at No.10 and remains at No. 10 for 2019. The 2019 list is basically the same as last year’s list except for No. 4 Lockout/Tagout and No. 5 Respiratory Protection have switched places.

Safety & Health Magazine (Dec. 2019) reported OSHA’s highest proposed monetary penalties in fiscal year 2019 comprised those stemming from a single incident or related incidents in which one or more employers were alleged to have failed to adhere to safe work practices. These failures put workers at risk – in some cases fatally. Fines from OSHA from Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019, ranged from $1.792 million to $530,392. (Dollar amounts may be reduced as part of a settlement agreement or litigation.)

At your workplace, you may take the proper precautions, wear the right safety equipment, and never take unnecessary risks that violate site safety protocols. Unfortunately, you can still end up suffering a significant injury while on the job, even though you did everything right. By their very nature, worksites can be dangerous places, but that doesn’t remove your employer from the responsibility of keeping you safe. And, it doesn’t mean you lose your right to justice should you get hurt.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a workplace accident, the legal team at Oliver Law Firm understands how to handle the legal consequences. From our extensive experience in workplace injury and death cases, we have learned that most frequently these mishaps are preventable.

You should not be alone in facing the consequences of a workplace injury or workplace death of a loved one.

Call us. We can help. (479) 202-5200

Sources:

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 by the U.S. congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). https://www.osha.gov/aboutosha

Safety and Health Magazine, Dec. 2019, page 40:   www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com,

Safety and Health Magazine (Dec. 2019) gathered information from OSHA press releases issued between Oct. 1, 2018 and Sept. 20, 2019