OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations of 2022
Every year OSHA compiles a list of the ten most-cited standard violations from the previous fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sep. 30). The annual list, based on worksite inspections, aims to alert employers about common violations to help prevent them. Although each of these hazards may not apply to every workplace, it can provide a blueprint for implementing a best practice safety program.
Although there was some shifting in the rankings, all of the violations on this year’s list also appeared on the previous year’s list. OSHA continues to cite the same safety violations year after year making it continually important to follow and comply with workplace safety standards.
By adhering to OSHA standards and safety best practices, it’s possible to minimize or eliminate workplace hazards, reduce the risk of citations and penalties, and most importantly keep you and your co-workers safe on the job.
OSHA has made it easy for workers, managers, and business owners to look up various violations. To search the top violations of an industry with a specific NAICS code, see https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/citedstandard.html.
OSHA Fines & Penalties
No organization wants to receive notice of an OSHA violation and the associated fines and penalties. OSHA defines each violation type depending on the severity and threat of injury resulting from the violation: other-than-serious, serious, willful, repeated, failure to abate prior violations, and other miscellaneous violations.
The penalties can be severe – $15,625 for each serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirement violation and up to $156,259 for each willful or repeat violation. And when an employer has not corrected a previously cited violation upon re-inspection, the penalty is a maximum of $15,625 per day unabated beyond the abatement date, generally limited to 30 days.
The best way to prepare for an OSHA Inspection and possible violations and citations is to avoid them entirely. If you are not already doing so, conduct routine site inspections for known and suspected hazards (such as the top 10 list above) and fix them. Review your written safety plans/programs to ensure they are up to date, and they address the appropriate items and issues for your work activities. Train your employees (contractors and subcontractors too) on your safety policies and procedures. Maintain your required recordkeeping and documentation. However, if you find yourself facing an OSHA Inspection, contact us. We can assist you with the OSHA inspection process and any potential compliance issues.