OSHA's 2025 Top 10 Cited Standards Highlight Persistent Safety Challenges
OSHA unveiled its preliminary list of this year’s most cited workplace safety violations. Fall protection remains a top concern, but the entire list offer insight into where safety professionals should focus their efforts.
- By David Kopf
- Oct 14, 2025
Each year, OSHA’s list of most frequently cited standards offers a revealing snapshot of where workplaces are struggling to meet safety requirements. At the National Safety Council’s 2025 Safety Congress & Expo, held this week at the Colorado Convention Center, OSHA Regional Administrator Eric Harbin unveiled the agency’s preliminary Top 10 for fiscal year 2025, based on data as of Aug. 12.
The list once again underscores the persistence of long-standing hazards. “They have the ability, they have the desire, they just need the knowledge,” Harbin said, noting that small businesses often want to comply but lack resources. OSHA hopes to close that gap by promoting consultation programs and training support.
1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501)
For the fifteenth consecutive year, fall protection tops the list, with 5,914 violations. Roofing, framing and siding contractors accounted for most of the citations. OSHA’s fall protection rules are clear: employers must provide guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems when workers face fall hazards. Hazards often stem from unprotected edges, unsafe scaffolds or improperly used ladders.
Despite years of emphasis, falls remain the leading cause of death in construction. Harbin said roofing was the top industry cited, a reminder that high-risk trades must redouble efforts in training, supervision and jobsite hazard assessments.
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
Hazard Communication once again claims the second spot, with 2,546 violations. Interestingly, Harbin noted roofers — not traditionally thought of as chemical-intensive — were the top violators.
The HazCom standard requires employers to develop a written program, maintain Safety Data Sheets, properly label containers and train workers on chemical hazards. Compliance lapses often involve missing SDSs, outdated labeling or insufficient worker training. With chemical exposures present in nearly every industry, even small employers must ensure hazard communication programs are current and accessible.
3. Ladders (1926.1053)
With 2,405 violations, ladder safety continues to be a problem across construction trades. Roofing again led the way, followed by framers and siding contractors.
OSHA requires ladders to be strong enough to support intended loads, free from slipping hazards and positioned properly. Common citations include using ladders at unsafe angles, overloading, or failing to remove damaged ladders from service. The fact that ladders remain a top-three violation highlights how everyday tools can still present serious risks when not used correctly.
4. Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (1910.147)
Lockout/Tagout recorded 2,177 violations, with plastic products manufacturers and machine shops topping the list.
The standard requires employers to establish energy control procedures that prevent machines from starting unexpectedly during servicing. Violations often involve missing lockout devices, inadequate training or failure to develop written procedures. OSHA emphasizes that controlling hazardous energy is critical: without it, workers face crushing, amputation or fatal injuries. Even industries less traditionally associated with heavy machinery are seeing citations, underscoring the importance of consistent LOTO programs.
5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
Respiratory protection slipped to fifth with 1,953 violations. The most common problem, Harbin said, was failing to provide medical evaluations for workers required to wear respirators.
The standard covers respirator selection, fit testing, medical clearance and training. Violations occur when employers fail to evaluate airborne hazards, use the wrong type of respirator, or neglect program administration. With hazards ranging from silica dust to chemical vapors, respiratory protection remains a cornerstone of OSHA compliance.
6. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503)
Training remains a weak spot, with 1,907 violations. Roofing again led the citations, and Harbin pointed out that the top issue was failing to provide any training at all.
The rule requires employers to ensure workers can recognize fall hazards and use fall protection systems properly. Employers must also certify training in writing and retrain workers as needed. Without this foundation, even the best fall protection equipment cannot be used effectively.
7. Scaffolding (1926.451)
Scaffolding ranked seventh with 1,905 violations, just two fewer than fall protection training. Industries most often cited included masonry, roofing, framing and siding.
OSHA’s requirements include that scaffolds support at least four times the intended load and provide proper guardrails or fall arrest systems. Violations often involve incomplete guardrails, unsafe planking or lack of access ladders. Scaffolding remains one of construction’s most hazardous activities, and the close margin with fall training means it could shift rankings when OSHA finalizes the fiscal year data.
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)
Powered industrial trucks — including forklifts and lift trucks — accounted for 1,826 violations. The most frequent issue, Harbin noted, was employers not ensuring that operators were properly trained.
The standard covers vehicle design, maintenance and safe operation. Daily inspections, load limits and operator certification are required. Forklift-related incidents often cause serious injuries, making training and supervision critical to safe operation.
9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)
Eye and face protection violations totaled 1,665, with roofing again leading the way. “The number one reason was not providing protection at all,” Harbin said.
The standard requires employers to provide appropriate PPE for hazards such as flying particles, liquid chemicals and radiation. OSHA mandates compliance with ANSI standards, and employers must ensure PPE fits comfortably, accommodates prescription lenses if needed, and is maintained in good condition. Despite relatively low cost and availability, noncompliance remains widespread.
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212)
Rounding out the list, machine guarding violations totaled 1,239. Harbin cited missing or inadequate guards at the point of operation as the most common problem.
The standard requires machines to have barriers that prevent access to moving parts, sparks or flying debris. Guards can be fixed, interlocked or adjustable. Too often, guards are removed for convenience or left unrepaired, exposing workers to serious hazards.
Understanding the Trends
As in past years, fall-related violations dominated, with roofing, framing and siding contractors recurring across multiple categories. But the list also shows risks in manufacturing, plastics and machine shops. Harbin emphasized that small businesses often make up a large share of citations because they lack in-house safety resources.
Importantly, the 2025 list is preliminary. An update on these Aug. 12 statistics is expected before the end of OSHA’s Oct. 1-to-Sept. 30 fiscal year, according to Harbin. Harbin noted that rankings could shift slightly once final data are compiled, especially when it comes to the scaffolding and fall protection-training requirements, which are currently only separated by two violations.
A Path Forward
Also, the prevalence of the roofing industry unscored another important trend: that small businesses often want to comply but lack the resources. OSHA hopes to close that gap by promoting support programs.
To help smaller businesses address these hazards, OSHA works with state agencies offer consulting programs to help employers improve compliance. Harbin closed his presentation with a reminder that free consultation programs are available, particularly for small businesses that want to do better but need guidance.
“These employers want to protect their workers,” he said. “They have the ability, they have the desire, they just need the knowledge.”
This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.