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7) Fall Protection – Training Requirements
In FY23, Fall Protection - Training Requirements ranked eighth in
the OSHA top 10. Now it’s moved up one spot, though it too has seen
a decrease in citations. For FY24, OSHA reported 2,050 violations, a
slight drop from last year’s 2,112 violations, as employers prioritize
fall protection training. OSHA’s standard on fall protection, 1926.503,
mandates that employers implement a training program that includes
how to identify hazards, strategies to alleviate and mitigate these risks,
and how to properly use fall protection and arrest systems.
Even aft er training is complete, employers are required to
maintain a written certifi cation record of employees’ participation
and completion of the program. Retraining is also required if an
employee demonstrates a lack of familiarity with the training con-
tent or if modifi cations in the workplace render the original train-
ing or particular fall protection equipment outdated.
6) Powered Industrial Trucks
In FY23, OSHA reported 2,561 violations were cited tied to Powered
Industrial Trucks. Now that category drops one spot to number 6 on
this year’s list, with 2,248 violations cited in FY24. OSHA Standard
1910.178 addresses safety requirements tied to “fork trucks, tractors,
platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks and other specialized in-
dustrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion
engines” but not some other industrial trucks or farm vehicles.
However, this standard covers fi re protection, design, mainte-
nance and use of such equipment. OSHA’s mandate features com-
prehensive provisions that govern how employers and workers use
these vehicles. Mandatory guidelines in the OSHA standards in-
clude in-depth operator training and certifi cation, daily, pre-shift
inspections, and operating environment restrictions.
5) Lockout/Tagout
Moving up one slot from the FY23 list — on which OSHA re-
ported 2,554 violations — is Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), which also
drops slightly to 2,443 violations this year. A subset of controlling
hazardous energy, LOTO falls under OSHA’s standard 1910.147,
which outlines protocols for controlling hazardous energy, includ-
ing implementing an energy control program.
Th e process of controlling hazardous energy prevents accidental
activation of a machine during maintenance that can result in severe
injuries or even fatalities. Lockout is mandated when an energy-iso-
lating device can be locked out, ensuring complete de-energization.
When this isn’t possible, tagout may be employed if it assures full
employee protection. Training in LOTO procedures is mandatory,
with retraining introduced when necessary to ensure compliance.
4) Respiratory Protection
Respiratory Protection leaps to number 4 in FY24, up three spots
from last year’s OSHA top 10. Likewise, the agency cited signifi cant-
ly more violations this year, 2,859 compared to the previous year’s
2,481. Selecting the appropriate respiratory protection for workers,
according to OSHA standard 1910.134, depends on the environ-
mental hazards present. Potential solutions could range from an air-
purifying respirator to an atmosphere-supplying model.
According to OSHA, the selection process should include an ex-
posure assessment to identify the type and level of hazardous expo-
sure workers might face. Additional considerations in selecting the
right respirator include understanding the job site, worker character-
14 Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2024 istics, and other assigned protection factors. Before deciding, employ-
ers should know the work environment’s oxygen percentage, contam-
inants and existing concentrations of specifi c hazardous substances.
3) Ladders
Ladders holds strong at number 3 on the latest OSHA list, though
the number of violations dropped from 2,978 in FY23 to 2,573 this
year. Th e OSHA standard regarding the use of ladders, 1926.1053,
specifi es guidelines for various types of ladders. For instance, non-
self-supporting ladders must be positioned at an angle where the
horizontal distance from the top support to the ladder’s base is
roughly one-quarter of the ladder’s working length during use.
Ladders must not be loaded beyond their designated weight
capacity, and the steps or rungs should be free of hazards like oil,
grease or other substances that could cause slips. If a portable ladder
is deemed defective, it should be promptly removed from service and
clearly marked to alert workers not to use it. OSHA’s safety protocols
also dictate workers should always face the ladder while ascending or
descending and maintain “at least one hand” on the ladder.
2) Hazard Communication
Th is year, Hazard Communication (HazCom) accounted for 2,888
violations — down more than 300 from FY23’s 3,213 violations —
though it remains in second place on the FY24 edition of OSHA’s
list. Th e HazCom standard 1910.1200 provides comprehensive
guidelines on hazard classifi cation, establishing a HazCom pro-
gram, proper labeling practices, worker training and the manage-
ment of trade secrets. It also addresses Safety Data Sheets (SDSs),
a mandatory component in any professional environment where
chemicals are used, produced or imported.
SDSs off er detailed information on chemicals, including their
hazards, fi rst-aid measures and guidelines for storage and trans-
portation. Th e HazCom standard mandates that SDSs are available
for every chemical in use and be accessible in English, comprised
of 16 specifi ed sections. To remain in OSHA compliance, chemical
manufacturers need to update SDSs whenever chemicals change to
prevent outdated data from creating potential safety risks.
1) Fall Protection – General Requirements
For the fourteenth consecutive year, Fall Protection - General Re-
quirements remains in the top spot. Even so, the number of cited
violations dropped signifi cantly from 7,271 to 6,307, a decline of
nearly 1,000 citations from FY23. Of course, OSHA outlines sev-
eral key standards to address all the fall protection-related safety
risks that can arise in the workplace.
Employers can adopt preventative actions such as the installation
of guards for all holes, guardrails and toe-boards around elevated
open-sided platforms, fl oors, or runways, and safety equipment such
as harnesses, safety nets and railings where fall hazards are present.
OSHA mandates employers ensure work environments do not
maintain any known dangers, keep work area fl oors as clean and
dry as possible, provide necessary employees with PPE at no cost
and make hazard training accessible to all workers. OSHA contin-
ually made eff orts to combat fall protection issues, and this notable
decline in violations may be an encouraging sign.
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the content editor of Occupational Health &
Safety magazine.
www.ohsonline.com