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OSHA's Top Ten for 2007
October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007
By: Matt McCreery
 Listed below is a summary of the top 10 OSHA cited standards by federal OSHA for fiscal year 2007. 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. Safety Resources, Inc. can help identify and correct your organizational hazards. For a more complete explanation of what our firm can do for you call 800.641.5990.
TOP TEN STANDARDS VIOLATED
- Scaffolding - This standard covers general safety requirements for scaffolding. Employers are bound to protect construction workers from falls and from falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at a height of 10 feet or more.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1926.451 (g)(1) - Failure to provide fall protection
- 1926.451 (e)(1) - Failure to provide proper access
- 1926.451 (b)(1) - Failure to ensure adequate platform construction
- 1926.451 (c)(2) - Failure to properly support scaffolding
- 1926.451 (g)(1)(vii) - Lack of personal fall arrest or guardrail systems
- Fall Protection - This standard outlines where fall protection is required, which systems are appropriate for given situations, the proper construction and installation of safety systems, and the proper supervision of employees to prevent falls.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1926.501 (b)(13) - Failure to provide protection - residential construction
- 1926.501 (b)(1) - Failure to use a guardrail, safety net or personal fall arrest system
- 1926.501 (b)(10) - Failure to provide protection - low slope roofs
- 1926.501 (b)(11) - Failure to provide protection - steep roofs
- 1926.501 (b)(14) - Failure to provide protection - wall openings
- Hazard Communication - This standard addresses chemical hazards, both chemicals produced in the work place and imported into the workplace. It also governs the communication of those to the workers.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.1200 (e)(1) - Failure to develop and maintain a written program
- 1910.1200 (h)(1) - Failure to maintain training
- 1910.1200 (g)(1) - Failure to have a MSDS for each hazardous chemical
- 1910.1200 (h) - Lack of employee training
- 1910.1200 (g)(8) - Failure to maintain in the workplace copies of the required MSDS
- Respiratory Protection - This standard directs employers in establishing or maintaining a respiratory protection program.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.134 (c)(1) - Failure to establish a program
- 1910.134 (e)(1) - Failure to provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator
- 1910.134 (f)(2) - Failure to ensure an employee using a tight-fitting face piece respirator is fit-tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator face piece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter
- 1910.134 (c)(2)(i) - Failure to provide respirators at the request of employees or permit employees to use their own respirators
- 1910.134 (f)(1) - Failure to ensure employees using a tight-fitting face piece respirator pass an appropriate qualitative or quantitative fit test.
- Lockout/Tagout - This standard outlines minimum performance requirements for the control of hazardous energy during machinery maintenance.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.147 (c)(4)(i) - Failure to develop, document and utilize procedures for the control of potentially hazardous energy
- 1910.147 (c)(1) - Failure to establish and implement a written program
- 1910.147 (c)(6) - Failure to conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure
- 1910.147 (c)(7)(i) - Failure to provide training to ensure the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees, and the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees
- 1910.147 (c)(4)(ii) - Failure to clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules ad techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance
- Powered Industrial Trucks - This standard covers the design, maintenance and operation of powered industrial trucks, including forklifts and motorized hand trucks.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.178 (L)(1)(i) - Failure to ensure each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely
- 1910.178 (p)(i) - Failure to take damaged powered industrial trucks out of service
- 1910.178 (L)(6) - Failure to certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated
- 1910.178 (L)(4)(iii) - Failure to evaluate powered industrial truck operator's performance at least once every three years
- 1910.178 (q)(7) - Failure to examine powered industrial trucks before placing in service
- Electrical - Wiring - This standard covers the grounding of electrical equipment, wiring and insulation. It includes temporary wiring and splicing such as flexible cords and cables.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.305 (b)(1) - Failure to effectively close conductors entering boxes, cabinets or fittings and protect form abrasion
- 1910.305 (b)(2) - Failure to provide all pull boxes, junction boxes and fittings with covers approved for the purpose
- 1910.305 (g)(1)(iii) - Failure to connect flexible cords to devices and fittings so strain relief is provided to prevent pull from being directly transmitted to joints or terminal screws
- 1910.305 (g)(1)(iii) - Flexible cords and cables may not be used
- 1910.305 (g)(1)(iii)(A) - Flexible cords and cables may not be used as a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure
- Ladders - This standards covers general requirements for all ladders.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1926.1053 (b)(1) Failure to extend ladder side rails at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access
- 1926.1053 (b)(4) Using a ladder for the purpose other than for which they were designed
- 1926.1053 (b)(13) Using the top or top a step of a step ladder as a step
- 1926.1053 (b)(16) Failure to mark portable ladders with structural defects in a manner readily identifying them as defective, or withdrawing them from service until repaired.
- 1926.1053 (b)(6) Failure to use ladders on stable or level surfaces
- Machine Guarding - This standard covers general safety requirements for the use of machine guards.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.212 (a)(1) - Failure to provide one or more methods of machine guarding
- 1910.212 (a)(3)(ii) - Failure to guard the point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury
- 1910.212 (b) - Failure to anchor fixed machinery
- 1910.212 (a)(5) - Failure to guard blades
- 1910.212 (a)(2) - Failure to affix guards to machines
- Electrical - General Requirements - This standard covers general safety requirements for designing electrical systems.
Top 5 sections cited:
- 1910.303 (b)(2) - Failure to install and use electrical equipment according to factory instructions
- 1910.303 (g)(2)(i) - Failure to guard electrical equipment
- 1910.303 (f) - Failure to identify disconnecting means of circuits
- 1910.303 (g)(1)(ii) - Failure to keep work spaces clear
- 1910.303 (b)(1) - Use of electrical equipment containing recognized hazards
| Top 10 "Willful" Violations |
| Standard | Total |
Violations |
1910.147 | Lockout/Tagout | 70 |
| 1926.652 | Excavation - Requirements for Protective Systems | 65 |
| 1926.451 | Scaffolding | 56 |
| 1910.119 | Process Safety Management | 34 |
| 1926.501 | Fall Protection | 30 |
| 1926.651 | Excavation - Specific Requirements | 20 |
| 1926.1101 | Asbestos | 19 |
| 1910.212 | Machine Guarding | 18 |
| 1926.062 | Lead in Construction | 15 |
| 1910.134 | Respiratory Protection | 14 |
| Top 10 "Serious" Violations |
| Standard | Total |
Violations |
1926.451 | Scaffolding | 9,341 |
| 1926.501 | Fall Protection | 6,070 |
| 1910.1200 | Hazard Communication | 3,750 |
| 1910.147 | Lockout/Tagout | 3,249 |
| 1910.178 | Powered Industrial Trucks | 2,615 |
| 1926.1053 | Ladders | 2,504 |
| 1910.212 | Machine Guarding | 2,473 |
| 1910.134 | Respiratory Protection | 2,440 |
| 1910.305 | Electrical - Wiring | 2,439 |
| 1910.303 | Electrical - General Requirements | 1,820 |
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