Every year, OSHA publishes the 10 standards that employers were cited for violating most frequently. And every year, the list looks almost identical. The same hazards, the same violations, the same industries getting caught making the same preventable mistakes.
That consistency isn't because these violations are obscure or difficult to address. It's because employers underestimate them. They assume fall protection only applies to construction. They think Hazard Communication is just "the binder in the break room." They believe lockout/tagout is only for factories with heavy machinery. These assumptions are how citations happen.
Here's the complete FY2025 Top 10 list, announced by OSHA at the National Safety Council Congress and Expo in September 2025 — along with what each violation actually means for small businesses and how to avoid it.
1. Fall Protection — General Requirements (1926.501): 5,914 Violations
For the 15th consecutive year, fall protection leads the list by a wide margin. The standard requires employers to provide fall protection — guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems — for workers at heights of six feet or more in construction.
The violations typically aren't exotic. They're unguarded roof edges, open floor holes, and employees working on scaffolding without fall protection equipment. The consequences are severe: falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
How to avoid it: If your employees work at any height — including on ladders, roofs, or elevated platforms — they need fall protection equipment and training on how to use it. If you hire contractors who work at height on your premises, verify that they're complying with fall protection standards. Under OSHA's multi-employer citation policy, the host employer can be cited for hazards they knew about or should have known about.
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,546 Violations
Hazard Communication — commonly called HazCom — is the most frequently cited general industry standard, and the one with the broadest reach. It applies to every employer whose workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals, which means nearly every business in the country.
The violations cluster in four areas: missing or inaccessible Safety Data Sheets, unlabeled secondary containers, missing or inadequate employee training, and not having a written Hazard Communication program.
What makes HazCom citations so persistent is that the standard has multiple independent requirements, and employers often address some while missing others. A business might have SDS on file but no written program. Or they might train new employees but forget to update training when new chemicals are introduced.
How to avoid it: HazCom compliance has four components, and you need all four. Maintain a current SDS for every hazardous chemical on-site. Label every container — including secondary containers. Train employees on the hazards they face and how to find safety information. Write a Hazard Communication program that describes how you do all of the above.
Hazard Communication has been in OSHA's Top 10 for over a decade. The violations are overwhelmingly preventable — a digital SDS system, printed secondary container labels, a brief annual training session, and a one-page written program address the vast majority of citations.
3. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,424 Violations
Ladder violations are the third most cited standard and a frequent companion to fall protection citations. The standard covers ladder selection, condition, and use — including requirements for how ladders are set up, maintained, and inspected.
Common citations involve using damaged ladders, setting ladders on unstable surfaces, failing to extend the ladder at least three feet above the landing surface, and employees standing on the top rung of a stepladder.
How to avoid it: Inspect ladders before each use and remove damaged ladders from service immediately. Train employees on proper ladder selection and setup. A surprising number of violations come down to employees using the wrong type of ladder for the task — for example, using a stepladder when the job requires an extension ladder with tie-off.
4. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,337 Violations
Lockout/tagout — also called the Control of Hazardous Energy standard — requires employers to establish procedures for isolating machines and equipment from their energy sources during maintenance and servicing. The goal is to prevent machines from starting unexpectedly while a worker is performing maintenance.
This standard applies far more broadly than most employers realize. It's not limited to heavy manufacturing. Any business with equipment that could injure a worker if it unexpectedly started — including HVAC systems, conveyors, compactors, and even commercial kitchen equipment — falls under the standard.
How to avoid it: Develop written lockout/tagout procedures for every piece of equipment that requires servicing. Train authorized employees on the procedures. Conduct periodic inspections (at least annually) to ensure employees are following them correctly. Document everything.
5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,312 Violations
The respiratory protection standard requires employers to establish a respiratory protection program when employees are exposed to airborne hazards — dust, fumes, vapors, gases — above permissible exposure limits or when respirators are otherwise required.
Many small businesses trip over this standard when they provide respirators to employees without implementing the full program. Handing someone a dust mask isn't compliance. A respiratory protection program includes a written plan, medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and proper maintenance of the equipment.
How to avoid it: If your employees wear any type of respirator — including N95 filtering facepieces used for dust protection — you likely need a respiratory protection program. The program requirements scale with the type of respirator used, but even voluntary use of filtering facepieces requires providing employees with information from OSHA Appendix D. Consult the standard or an occupational health professional if you're unsure.
6. Fall Protection — Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,970 Violations
This companion to the #1 violation requires employers to train each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards on how to recognize fall hazards, the procedures for minimizing them, and the correct use of fall protection systems. The training must be documented.
The citation exists separately from the general fall protection requirement because OSHA frequently finds that employers provide fall protection equipment but don't train workers on how to use it correctly. A harness that's improperly worn is barely better than no harness at all.
How to avoid it: Every employee who works at heights needs documented fall protection training. The training must be provided by a competent person and must cover the specific fall hazards present at the worksite. Retrain whenever there's a change in conditions or equipment, or when an employee demonstrates insufficient understanding.
7. Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,904 Violations
Scaffolding violations stem from improper setup, missing guardrails, unstable platforms, and inadequate inspection. The standard requires that scaffolds be erected by a competent person, that workers be protected from falling objects, and that the scaffold can support its own weight plus four times the intended load.
How to avoid it: If your business uses scaffolding — even temporarily — ensure that a competent person oversees erection and dismantling. Inspect scaffolds before each work shift. Install guardrails and toeboards. Don't modify scaffolds without engineering approval.
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,826 Violations
This standard covers forklifts, pallet jacks, and other powered industrial trucks. The most common violations involve insufficient operator training, failure to evaluate operators, and missing certification records.
Every forklift operator must be trained and evaluated by the employer, and the employer must certify that the training has been completed. Refresher training is required at least every three years and whenever there's an incident or a change in conditions.
How to avoid it: If you have a forklift, you need a training and evaluation program. This includes classroom instruction, practical training, and an observed performance evaluation. Keep certification records for every operator. It's one of the most straightforward standards to comply with — but one of the most frequently ignored.
"My operator came certified from their previous employer" is not a defense. OSHA requires each employer to evaluate forklift operators in their specific workplace. Previous training can count toward the classroom component, but the hands-on evaluation must be conducted by the current employer.
9. Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,665 Violations
Employers must assess the workplace for hazards that require eye or face protection and provide appropriate PPE. Citations commonly involve employees performing tasks like grinding, welding, chipping, or working with chemicals without proper eye or face protection.
How to avoid it: Conduct a hazard assessment for every task that could expose employees to eye or face injuries. Provide appropriate protection — safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or welding helmets — based on the specific hazard. Train employees on when and how to use the equipment. Document the hazard assessment.
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,239 Violations
The machine guarding standard requires employers to protect workers from hazards created by moving parts — points of operation, rotating components, and areas where flying chips or sparks are generated. Missing or inadequate machine guards are a direct path to amputations and other severe injuries.
How to avoid it: Every machine with moving parts that could contact an employee must have appropriate guards in place. Guards must not be removed or bypassed for convenience, and they must be maintained in working condition. Train employees to never operate a machine with guards removed and to report damaged or missing guards immediately.
The Pattern Behind the List
Step back and look at the full list, and a clear pattern emerges. These aren't obscure regulations that require specialized knowledge. They're fundamental safety requirements that apply to common workplace activities: working at heights, handling chemicals, using ladders, maintaining equipment, wearing protection, and operating machinery.
The reason they appear year after year isn't complexity — it's complacency. Employers who have operated for years without an incident assume they're compliant. They mistake luck for safety. The inspection that reveals the gap is often the first time they've looked critically at their own practices.
What This Means for Small Businesses
Small businesses account for a significant share of OSHA citations, partly because they're less likely to have dedicated safety staff. The owner or manager handles compliance alongside operations, finances, HR, and everything else — which means safety programs tend to get attention only after something goes wrong.
The practical response is to use this list as a checklist. Not every standard applies to every business, but most small businesses are subject to at least three or four of the Top 10. Run through the list and ask the question honestly: if an OSHA inspector walked in tomorrow, would we pass?
For HazCom specifically — the #2 violation and the one that applies to the broadest set of businesses — the fix is well within reach. A digital SDS management system, printed container labels, a brief annual training session, and a written program that takes an hour to draft. That combination addresses the most common citations and puts one of OSHA's most persistent violations firmly behind you.
OSHA's penalty amounts increase with inflation annually. As of January 2025, the maximum penalty for a serious violation is $16,550 per instance. Willful or repeated violations can reach $165,514 each. These aren't theoretical numbers — they're what OSHA actually charges.
The Bottom Line
The ten most cited OSHA violations for 2025 are the same violations that topped the list in 2024, 2023, and every year before that. The standards aren't changing. The hazards aren't going away. What changes is whether your business is prepared when the inspector arrives — or when an employee is injured in a way that could have been prevented.
Use this list for what it is: a roadmap of the most common gaps in workplace safety. Address the ones that apply to your operations, document what you've done, and build compliance into your routine rather than treating it as a one-time project. The businesses that avoid citations aren't the ones that got lucky. They're the ones that did the work before it was urgent.