Fall Protection remains the top citation for the 16th consecutive year as workers face continued risks.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced its most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2026, highlighting hazards that continue to put workers at risk across industries.
The annual Top 10 list was unveiled during the 2026 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, the world’s largest annual gathering of safety professionals. The preliminary data are based on OSHA inspections conducted during fiscal year 2026 and help employers identify persistent workplace hazards, prioritize improvements and strengthen safety programs.
The Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards are:
1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 4,041 violations
2. Hazard Communication (1926.1200): 1,961
3. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,863
4. Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,725
5. Ladders (1926.1053): 1,659
6. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 1,608
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,379
8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,273
9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,120
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,072
Although each of the Top 10 categories received fewer citations than the previous year, the rankings continue to highlight persistent workplace risks that require attention.
“Year after year, the OSHA Top 10 reminds us how pervasive preventable workplace hazards remain,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC CEO. “Every citation represents an opportunity to identify gaps and strengthen safety practices before a worker is injured. Employers should use these findings to evaluate their workplaces, install critical safeguards, and implement proven solutions that help protect workers and save lives.”
Employers can explore tools, training and resources to help prevent serious workplace incidents and fatalities at nsc.org. A more in-depth analysis of the Top 10 violations for fiscal year 2026 will be published in the December edition of Safety+Health magazine, an NSC publication.
About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 110 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace and roadways. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.
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