2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo Highlights Workplace Fatality Data

2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo Highlights Workplace Fatality Data

During a panel discussion, OSHA reviewed the most cited standards for specific causes of fatalities.

The NSC Safety Congress & Expo is often the venue through which OSHA identifies the top 10 most frequently cited standards. The 2024 edition of the annual event was no exception, revealing for which standards the agency notes the most violations. However, Scott Ketcham, director of the directorate of enforcement programs for OSHA, continued during the session on Tuesday, Sept. 17 to cover fatality data as well.

Ketcham opened this part of the session by sharing Bureau of Labor Statistics data highlighting Federal OSHA and State Plan Investigated Fatalities by Primary Cause. Struck By easily led that list with more than 400 fatalities, followed by Fall (from Elevation), Other, Caught in or Between, Shock, Cardiovascular, Struck Against and, finally, All Other Causes.

“There's a high potential that some sort of transportation incident can happen,” Ketcham said, regarding the dominance of Struck By fatalities. “So you need to make sure that you're looking above and beyond what OSHA requires for plant safety and facility-wise.”

Next, Ketcham outlined the top cited standards for Struck By, Caught in or Between, Fall, Shock or Other related fatalities. Notably, Lockout/Tagout had more citations than any other item, with 98 violations as the leading standard for fatalities related to Struck By. The full list, as revealed at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, is as follows:

Top Fatal Struck-By Related Standards Cited

  • Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) - 98 violations
  • OSH Act 5(a)(1) - 71 violations
  • Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) - 50 violations

Top Fatal Caught-in/Between Related Standards Cited

  • Specific Excavation Requirements (1926.651) - 24 violations
  • General Requirements for All Machines (1910.212) - 17 violations
  • OSH Act 5(a)(1) - 15 violations

Top Fatal Fall Related Standards Cited

  • Duty to Have Fall Protection (1926.501) - 49 violations
  • Scaffolds (1926.451) - 41 violations
  • OSH Act 5(a)(1) - 9 violations

Top Fatal Shock Related Standards Cited

  • Electrical - Selection and Use of Work Practices (1910.333) - 9 violations
  • OSH Act 5(a)(1) - 15 violations

Top Other Fatality-Related Standards Cited

  • Safety Training and Education (1926.21) - 39 violations
  • Personal Protective Equipment - General Requirements (1910.132) - 28 violations

About the Author

Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.

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