OSHA Releases Final Top 10 Most Cited Standards for FY 2025
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OSHA Releases Final Top 10 Most Cited Standards for FY 2025
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its final data on the 10 most frequently cited standards for fiscal year 2025, covering the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, according to Safety+Health Magazine. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) topped the list with 6,992 violations, marking its position as the leading standard for the 15th successive fiscal year. One change from the preliminary data released on September 16 is that Scaffolding (1926.451) moved up one spot to No. 6, swapping places with Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503).
Breakdown of the Top 10 List
The final list from OSHA’s Information System data includes the following standards and their violation counts: Fall Protection – General Requirements at 6,992 violations, Hazard Communication (1910.1200) at 3,010 violations, Ladders (1926.1053) at 2,842 violations, Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) at 2,562 violations, Respiratory Protection (1910.134) at 2,294 violations, Scaffolding (1926.451) at 2,286 violations, Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) at 2,216 violations, Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) at 2,150 violations, Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) at 1,965 violations, and Machine Guarding (1910.212) at 1,498 violations, as reported by Safety+Health Magazine. This data was pulled on April 15. The preliminary data had been announced during the 2025 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in Denver.
Changes and Context
In the shift from preliminary to final data, Scaffolding (1926.451) climbed to No. 6 with 2,286 violations, directly exchanging positions with Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) at 2,216 violations. Widely known as a key enforcement tool, OSHA’s Top 10 list highlights recurring workplace hazards, though this specific release focuses solely on FY 2025 citations. No other changes occurred in the rankings from the preliminary figures.
Implications of the Data
The data underscores persistent issues, with Fall Protection – General Requirements leading at 6,992 violations and Hazard Communication following at 3,010, according to Safety+Health Magazine. Standards like Ladders and Lockout/Tagout, cited 2,842 and 2,562 times respectively, reflect common inspection findings. This release, dated April 29, 2026, provides updated metrics for compliance monitoring.
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