OSHA’s Top 10 most Cited Violations for 2006
By: Matt
McCreery, Safety Specialist
Listed below is
a summary of the top 10 OSHA cited standards by federal OSHA for fiscal year
2006. This list should be used to ask the question “Do we have any problems in
these areas?” If so then ask yourself “How can we correct the deficiencies?”
Once these questions are answered employers need to address the problems found,
and discuss with their crews what needs to be done to be compliant.
1. Scaffolding: 1926.451
Total Violations: 9,012
1926.451 (g)(1 )
— Lack of fall protection: 1,492
1926.451 (e)(1 )
— Failure to provide proper access: 1,234
1926.451 (b)(1)
— Inadequate platform construction: 1,121
1926.451 (c)(2)
— Failure to properly support scaffolding: 539
1926.451
(g)(1)(vii) — Lack of personal fall arrest/guardrail system: 538
2.
Hazard Communication: 1910.1200
Total
Violations: 6,704
1910.1200 (e)(1)
— Failure to develop a written program: 2,286
1910.1200 (h)(1)
— Failure to train employees: 1,057
1910.1200 (g)(1)
— Failure to have an MSDS for each hazardous chemical: 687
1910.1200 (h) —
[per 1926.59] Hazard Communication training for construction: 534
1910.1200
(f)(5)(i) — Failure to properly label each container of hazardous chemicals:
496
3. Fall Protection: 1926.501
Total
Violations: 6,378
1926.501 (b)(13)
— Lack of fall protection during residential construction: 2,147
1926.501 (b)(1)
— Failure to provide fall protection: 1,989
1926.501 (b)(10)
— Fall protection on low-slope roofs: 614
1926.501 (b)(11)
— Fall protection on steep roofs: 424
1926.501
(b)(4)(i) — Failure to guard floor holes: 240
4. Respiratory Protection: 1910.134
Total
Violations: 4,332
1910.134 (c)(1)
— Lack of a written program: 739
1910.134 (e)(1)
— Failure to perform medical evaluation: 686
1910.134 (f)(2)
— Initial/annual fit testing: 328
1910.134
(c)(2)(i) — Failure to provide Appendix D when respirator use is voluntary: 323
1910.134 (f)(1)
— Failure to ensure employees using a tight-fitting facepeice respirator pass a
qualitative or quantitative fit test: 263
5. Lockout/Tagout: 1910.147
Total
Violations: 3,659
1910.147
(c)(4)(i) — Failure to develop equipment-specific lockout procedures: 658
1910.147 (c)(1) — Lack of a written program: 624
1910.147 (c)(6)
— Failure to conduct periodic (annual) inspections of energy control program:
500
1910.147
(c)(7)(i) — Failure to train employees: 480
1910.147
(c)(4)(ii) — Inadequate equipment-specific procedures: 233
6. Powered Industrial Trucks: 1910.178
Total
Violations: 3,080
1910.178
(l)(1)(i) — Failure to ensure operator competency: 562
1910.178 (p)(1)
— Failure to remove unsafe trucks from operation: 418
1910.178 (l)(6)
— Lack of operator certification: 375
1910.178 (l)(4)
— Failure to provide refresher training and evaluation: 256
1910.178 (q)(7)
— Failure to inspect trucks: 223
7. Electrical – Wiring: 1910.305
Total
Violations: 2,953
1910.305 (b)(1)
— Failure to protect conductors entering boxes, cabinets, or fittings: 687
1910.305 (b)(2) — Lack of covers for pull boxes, junction boxes,
and fittings: 534
1910.305
(g)(2)(iii) — Strain relief for flexible cords: 422
1910.305
(g)(1)(iii) — Using flexible cords in a prohibited situation: 332
1910.305 (g)(1)(iii)(A)
— Using flexible cords in lieu of permanent wiring: 182
8. Machine Guarding – General Requirements: 1910.212
Total
Violations: 2,749
1910.212 (a)(1)
— Failure to guard machinery: 1,537
1910.212
(a)(3)(ii) — Failure to guard point-of-operation: 787
1910.212 (b) —
Failure to anchor fixed machinery: 174
1910.212 (a)(5)
— Failure to guard exposed fan blades: 148
1910.212 (a)(2)
— Failure to permanently affix guards: 76
9. Ladders: 1926.1053
Total
Violations: 2,329
1926.1053 (b)(1)
— Failure to extend ladder at least 3 feet above upper landing surface: 1,175
1926.1053 (b)(4)
— Using ladders for the purpose other than which they were designed: 280
1926.1053
(b)(13) — Using the top or top step of a stepladder as a step: 215
1926.1053
(b)(16) — Failure to withdraw damaged portable ladders from service: 129
1926.1053 (b)(6)
— Failure to use ladders on stable surface: 88
10. Electrical Systems: 1910.303
Total
Violations: 2,178
1910.303 (b)(2)
— Failure to use electrical equipment as listed for use: 482
1910.303
(g)(2)(i) — Failure to guard energized electrical conductors ≥ 50 volts: 407
1910.303 (f) —
Failure to identify disconnecting means and circuits: 357
1910.303
(g)(1)(ii) — Failure to keep work spaces clear: 247
1910.303 (b)(1)
— Use of electrical equipment containing recognized hazards: 216
Top 10 Willful Violations for 2006:
Standard Total
Violations
(1) 1926.652 –
Protective Systems: Excavations 86
(2) 1926.62 –
Lead in Construction 51
(3) 1926.501 –
Fall Protection 48
(4) 1910.134 –
Respiratory Protection 33
(5) 1926.651 –
Excavations: Specific Requirements 31
(6) 1926.451 –
Scaffolding 26
(7) 1910.212 –
Machine Guarding 25
(8) 1910.147 –
Lockout/Tagout 24
(9) 1910.95 –
Occupational Noise Exposure 19
(10) 1910.1025
– Lead 18
(10)
1910.119 – Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Chemicals 18
Top 10 Serious Violations for 2006:
Standard Total Violations
(1) 1926.451 – Scaffolding 8,135
(2) 1926.501 – Fall Protection 5,610
(3) 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication 3,647
(4) 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout 3,379
(5) 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection 2,623
(6) 1910.212 – Machine Guarding 2,477
(7) 1910.305 – Electrical Wiring 2,256
(7) 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection 2,382
(8) 1910.178 – Powered Industrial Trucks 2,209
(9) 1926.1053 – Ladders 1,997
(10) 1910.219 – Mechanical Power Transmission Apparatus
1,626
Source: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)