Last month, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its annual list of the ten most cited safety standards for the fiscal year that ended September 30.  The list was unchanged from the prior year, and demonstrates OSHA’s emphasis on the construction industry and hazards associated with construction work. The number of citations issued for these ten standards run from 6,721 for fall protection, down to 1,973 for general electrical requirements.

The top ten standards cited are as follows:

• Fall protection
• Hazard communication
• Scaffolding
• Respiratory protection
• Lockout/tagout
• Powered industrial trucks
• Ladders
• Electrical – wiring methods
• Machine guarding
• Electrical - general requirements