Skip to main content
MapTrack

OSHA Top 10 Violations 2026: the Most Cited Standards

Fall protection (29 CFR 1926.501) is OSHA’s most cited standard for the 16th fiscal year in a row, with 4,041 violations in OSHA’s preliminary fiscal 2026 data (1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026), followed by hazard communication (1,961) and lockout/tagout (1,863). Five of the ten standards govern machines, powered vehicles or access equipment, and MapTrack’s analysis of OSHA’s figures shows they drew 43.5% of the list’s violations, the highest share in four years.

MapTrack compiled the 10 figures on this page from 4 published sources. Each one is shown with the organisation that published it, the publication year and the source page MapTrack reviewed. Review status and material scope limits are shown with each figure.

OSHA’s Top 10 is the list of standards federal OSHA cites most often after inspections. This page carries the fiscal 2026 list from OSHA’s own slides, the three preliminary lists before it, the provisions cited most within the equipment standards, and the arithmetic behind every comparison.

To keep daily equipment checks and their defects on record, see pre-start inspections.

Last updated: September 2026 · 10 figures with citation tools

Lachlan McRitchie

Lachlan McRitchie

Co-Founder & GM of Operations

Published 22 September 2026
The FY2026 listThe FY2026 headline figuresWhat changed: MapTrack analysis of four years of listsFour years of listsMost cited provisionsPenaltiesMethodologyFAQ

OSHA’s Top 10 most cited standards, fiscal 2026

Preliminary data from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026, read from OSHA’s slides for the 2026 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. The change column compares each count with OSHA’s preliminary fiscal 2025 list, whose data ran to 12 August 2025, 19 days shorter. Previous positions are from OSHA’s final fiscal 2025 list.

OSHA Top 10 most cited standards, preliminary fiscal 2026
RankStandard29 CFRViolationsFY2025 rankChange
1Fall Protection - General Requirements1926.5014,0411-31.7%
2Hazard Communication1910.12001,9612-23.0%
3Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)Equipment1910.1471,8634-14.4%
4ScaffoldingEquipment1926.4511,7256-9.4%
5LaddersEquipment1926.10531,6593-31.0%
6Respiratory Protection1910.1341,6085-17.7%
7Powered Industrial TrucksEquipment1910.1781,3798-24.5%
8Fall Protection - Training Requirements1926.5031,2737-33.2%
9Eye and Face Protection1926.1021,1209-32.7%
10Machine GuardingEquipment1910.2121,07210-13.5%
Top 10 total17,701-24.8%

“Equipment” marks the five standards whose subject is a machine, a powered vehicle or access equipment, a MapTrack grouping.

The FY2026 headline figures

Read from OSHA's own slides for the preliminary fiscal 2026 list, presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo on 15 September 2026.

4,041 violations

OSHA’s most cited standard, for the 16th year running

Fall protection general requirements (29 CFR 1926.501) was OSHA's most frequently cited standard in its preliminary fiscal 2026 data, with 4,041 violations from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026. It has led OSHA's list for 16 consecutive fiscal years.

Source: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Top 10 Most Cited Standards, preliminary fiscal 2026 data (NSC Safety Congress & Expo, 15 September 2026) () · claim checked against source

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-fall-protection-2026

1,863 violations

Lockout/tagout, now OSHA’s third most cited standard

The control of hazardous energy standard (lockout/tagout, 29 CFR 1910.147) drew 1,863 violations in OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2026 data, from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026, making it the third most cited standard, up from fourth in fiscal 2025.

Source: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Top 10 Most Cited Standards, preliminary fiscal 2026 data (NSC Safety Congress & Expo, 15 September 2026) () · claim checked against source

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-lockout-tagout-2026

1,379 violations

Forklift and powered industrial truck violations

OSHA's powered industrial trucks standard (29 CFR 1910.178), which covers forklifts, drew 1,379 violations in its preliminary fiscal 2026 data, from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026. It is seventh on the list, up from eighth in fiscal 2025.

Source: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Top 10 Most Cited Standards, preliminary fiscal 2026 data (NSC Safety Congress & Expo, 15 September 2026) () · claim checked against source

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-powered-industrial-trucks-2026

1,072 violations

Machine guarding violations

Machine guarding (29 CFR 1910.212) drew 1,072 violations in OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2026 data, from 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026. It was tenth on OSHA's Top 10 for the fourth year in a row.

Source: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Top 10 Most Cited Standards, preliminary fiscal 2026 data (NSC Safety Congress & Expo, 15 September 2026) () · claim checked against source

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-machine-guarding-2026

What changed: MapTrack analysis of four years of lists

MapTrack calculations from OSHA's preliminary Top 10 lists for fiscal 2023 to 2026. Each card shows its arithmetic and the data window behind it, so the method can be checked rather than taken on trust.

About 1,590 per 30 days

Top 10 OSHA violations per 30 days of data, down 35% since fiscal 2023

OSHA's Top 10 standards drew about 1,590 violations per 30 days of preliminary fiscal 2026 data, down 35% from about 2,450 in fiscal 2023, once each year's different data window is allowed for.

How we calculated this

MapTrack calculation from the four preliminary Top 10 lists OSHA presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo. Fiscal 2023: 29,747 violations over 364 days of data (1 October 2022 to 29 September 2023), 2,452 per 30 days. Fiscal 2024: 26,207 over 341 days (to 5 September 2024), 2,306. Fiscal 2025: 23,537 over 316 days (to 12 August 2025), 2,235. Fiscal 2026: 17,701 over 335 days (to 31 August 2026), 1,585. Each window is from the list's published data statement. The counts are violations cited on federal OSHA inspections, so a fall can reflect fewer or different inspections rather than safer workplaces, and OSHA's final counts differ slightly from its preliminary ones.

Source: MapTrack analysis of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), preliminary Top 10 Most Cited Standards, fiscal 2023 to 2026, as presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo () · source reviewed, not independently verified

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-violations-per-30-days-2026

43.5%

Share of OSHA’s Top 10 violations under equipment standards

Five of OSHA's Top 10 standards govern machines, powered vehicles or access equipment. They drew 7,698 of the 17,701 Top 10 violations in preliminary fiscal 2026 data, or 43.5%, the highest share in the four years compared.

How we calculated this

MapTrack calculation from OSHA's four preliminary lists, whose data run from 1 October 2022 to 29 September 2023, 1 October 2023 to 5 September 2024, 1 October 2024 to 12 August 2025 and 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026. The five standards are lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, machine guarding, scaffolding and ladders. Their share of the Top 10 was 42.3% in fiscal 2023 (12,596 of 29,747), 40.7% in fiscal 2024 (10,678 of 26,207), 40.6% in fiscal 2025 (9,552 of 23,537) and 43.5% in fiscal 2026 (7,698 of 17,701). The grouping is MapTrack's: the five standards whose subject is a machine, a powered vehicle or a piece of access equipment.

Source: MapTrack analysis of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), preliminary Top 10 Most Cited Standards, fiscal 2023 to 2026, as presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo () · source reviewed, not independently verified

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-equipment-share-2026

6th to 3rd

Lockout/tagout has climbed OSHA’s preliminary list every year since fiscal 2023

Lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) has risen one place on each of OSHA's last three preliminary Top 10 lists: sixth in fiscal 2023, fifth in 2024, fourth in 2025 and third in 2026, even as its violation count fell from 2,554 to 1,863.

How we calculated this

MapTrack analysis of OSHA's preliminary Top 10 lists presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo from 2023 to 2026, as reported by Safety+Health and the National Safety Council, with data from 1 October 2022 to 29 September 2023, 1 October 2023 to 5 September 2024, 1 October 2024 to 12 August 2025 and 1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026. OSHA's final full-year lists agree for fiscal 2023 (sixth) and 2025 (fourth) but not 2024, when the final list placed it third rather than fifth.

Source: MapTrack analysis of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), preliminary Top 10 Most Cited Standards, fiscal 2023 to 2026, as presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo () · source reviewed, not independently verified

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-lockout-tagout-rank-climb

14.4% and 13.5%

Lockout/tagout and machine guarding violations fell less than all but scaffolding

Between OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2025 and 2026 lists, lockout/tagout violations fell 14.4% (2,177 to 1,863) and machine guarding violations 13.5% (1,239 to 1,072), against 24.8% for the Top 10 as a whole. Only scaffolding fell less, by 9.4%.

How we calculated this

MapTrack calculation from OSHA's preliminary lists: fiscal 2025 data to 12 August 2025 (Safety+Health) and fiscal 2026 data to 31 August 2026 (OSHA's slides). The Top 10 fell from 23,537 to 17,701 violations (24.8%) and scaffolding from 1,905 to 1,725 (9.4%). The other standards fell between 17.7% (respiratory protection, 1,953 to 1,608) and 33.2% (fall protection training, 1,907 to 1,273). The fiscal 2026 window is 19 days longer, so each fall is understated rather than inflated, and the order of the standards is unaffected.

Source: MapTrack analysis of US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), preliminary Top 10 Most Cited Standards, fiscal 2023 to 2026, as presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo () · source reviewed, not independently verified

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-top10-machine-standards-fell-least

545 violations

Inspection and out-of-service violations in three equipment standards

In OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2025 data, 545 Top 10 violations were under three provisions: periodic inspection of lockout/tagout procedures (345), taking unsafe powered industrial trucks out of service (120) and marking and withdrawing defective ladders (80).

How we calculated this

MapTrack calculation from the top cited sections of each Top 10 standard, published by Safety+Health from OSHA Information System data for 1 October 2024 to 12 August 2025: 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6) (345), 1910.178(p)(1) (120) and 1926.1053(b)(16) (80), 545 in all. 1910.147(c)(6)(i) requires a periodic inspection of each energy control procedure, at least annually; 1910.178(p)(1) and 1926.1053(b)(16) require an unsafe truck to be taken out of service, and a defective portable ladder to be marked or tagged as defective and withdrawn from service until repaired. It counts only provisions that appear in a standard's published list of top sections, so other provisions may add to the total. Section-level data for fiscal 2026 had not been published when this was checked.

Source: MapTrack analysis of Safety+Health (National Safety Council), The most frequently cited standards in FY 2025, from OSHA Information System data () · source reviewed, not independently verified

Cite as: MapTrack Industry Statistics, https://www.maptrack.com/statistics/osha-top-10-violations#osha-inspection-provisions-2025

Four years of OSHA’s preliminary Top 10

Violations per standard on each preliminary list OSHA presented at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo. Each list covers a slightly different number of days, so the last row divides each total by its own window.

OSHA preliminary Top 10 violations by standard, fiscal 2023 to 2026
StandardFY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026
Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501)7,2716,3075,9144,041
Hazard Communication (1910.1200)3,2132,8882,5461,961
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (1910.147)2,5542,4432,1771,863
Scaffolding (1926.451)2,8591,8731,9051,725
Ladders (1926.1053)2,9782,5732,4051,659
Respiratory Protection (1910.134)2,4812,4701,9531,608
Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)2,5612,2481,8261,379
Fall Protection - Training Requirements (1926.503)2,1122,0501,9071,273
Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)2,0741,8141,6651,120
Machine Guarding (1910.212)1,6441,5411,2391,072
Top 10 total29,74726,20723,53717,701
Days of data364341316335
Violations per 30 days2,4522,3062,2351,585
  • FY2023: data 1 Oct 2022 to 29 Sep 2023, presented in New Orleans, October 2023 (source).
  • FY2024: data 1 Oct 2023 to 5 Sep 2024, presented in Orlando, September 2024 (source).
  • FY2025: data 1 Oct 2024 to 12 Aug 2025, presented in Denver, September 2025 (source).
  • FY2026: data 1 Oct 2025 to 31 Aug 2026, presented in Indianapolis, 15 September 2026 (source).

Inside the equipment standards: the provisions cited most

The most cited sections of each equipment standard in fiscal 2025, published by Safety+Health from OSHA Information System data for 1 October 2024 to 12 August 2025. OSHA had not released section-level data for fiscal 2026 when this page was checked.

Lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147)

  • 1910.147(c)(4) Energy control procedure675
  • 1910.147(c)(7) Training and communication422
  • 1910.147(c)(6) Periodic inspection345
  • 1910.147(c)(1) An energy control programme: procedures, training and periodic inspections208

Powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178)

  • 1910.178(l)(1) Safe operation413
  • 1910.178(l)(4) Refresher training and evaluation223
  • 1910.178(l)(6) Certifying that each operator has been trained and evaluated223
  • 1910.178(l)(2) Training programme implementation134
  • 1910.178(p)(1) Taking a truck out of service when it is defective or unsafe120

Machine guarding (29 CFR 1910.212)

  • 1910.212(a)(1) Types of guarding858
  • 1910.212(a)(3) Point of operation guarding284
  • 1910.212(a)(2) General requirements for machine guards41
  • 1910.212(b) Anchoring fixed machinery38

Ladders (29 CFR 1926.1053)

  • 1926.1053(b)(1) Side rails at least 3 feet above an upper landing, or the ladder secured1,632
  • 1926.1053(b)(4) Using a ladder only for its designed purpose189
  • 1926.1053(b)(13) Using the top or top step of a stepladder as a step173
  • 1926.1053(b)(16) Marking defective ladders and withdrawing them from service80

Scaffolding (29 CFR 1926.451)

  • 1926.451(g)(1) Fall protection more than 10 feet above a lower level583
  • 1926.451(c)(2) Base plates and mud sills or other firm foundation224
  • 1926.451(e)(1) Safe access to platforms more than 2 feet above or below196
  • 1926.451(b)(1) Platforms fully planked or decked190

Source: Safety+Health, The most frequently cited standards in FY 2025.

What the list says about equipment checks

Several of the most cited provisions are about inspections and pulling defective equipment from use, rather than about the equipment itself. OSHA’s lockout/tagout standard requires periodic inspections of energy control procedures (29 CFR 1910.147(c)(6)); its citations by industry and workplace size are in the lockout/tagout statistics. Its powered industrial trucks standard requires a truck found defective or unsafe to be taken out of service until it is repaired (1910.178(p)(1)), and each truck to be examined before it is placed in service, at least daily (1910.178(q)(7)). Its ladders standard requires defective portable ladders to be marked or tagged and withdrawn from service (1926.1053(b)(16)).

Each of those duties leaves a record behind it: the inspection, the defect found, and the date the item went back into use. A dated check against the asset, with the defect handed to whoever repairs it, is the evidence that the duty was done.

Keep every equipment check on record

MapTrack records pre-start inspections and service history against each asset, so the evidence is there when it is needed.

Start free trial
  • No credit card required
  • 30 days free trial
  • Cancel anytime

What a violation can cost

OSHA's maximum civil penalties for 2026, from OSHA's annual penalty adjustment notice.

Methodology

The fiscal 2026 counts are read from OSHA’s own slides for the 2026 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, which mark the data as preliminary. The fiscal 2023 to 2025 counts are from each year’s preliminary list as reported by Safety+Health, the National Safety Council’s magazine, and checked against at least one other report of the same session. Each list’s data window comes from its published data statement.

The counts are violations cited on federal OSHA inspections, not inspections, injuries or employers, and they do not cover State Plan inspections. A change in a count can reflect how many inspections OSHA carried out and where, as well as conditions on worksites. OSHA’s final counts differ slightly from its preliminary ones; for fiscal 2023, fall protection had 7,271 violations on the preliminary list and 7,188 on the final list reported a year later. Safety+Health prints hazard communication as 1926.1200 in its fiscal 2026 article; OSHA’s slides and its official list give 29 CFR 1910.1200, which this page uses.

MapTrack calculations are shown with their arithmetic on each card. The equipment grouping is MapTrack’s: lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, machine guarding, scaffolding and ladders. This page will be updated when OSHA publishes its final fiscal 2026 list.

Frequently asked questions

What are OSHA's top 10 most cited violations for 2026?

In OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2026 data (1 October 2025 to 31 August 2026), the ten most cited standards were fall protection general requirements (4,041 violations), hazard communication (1,961), lockout/tagout (1,863), scaffolding (1,725), ladders (1,659), respiratory protection (1,608), powered industrial trucks (1,379), fall protection training (1,273), eye and face protection (1,120) and machine guarding (1,072). OSHA presented the list at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo on 15 September 2026.

What is OSHA's most cited standard?

Fall protection general requirements (29 CFR 1926.501), for the 16th consecutive fiscal year according to Safety+Health. It drew 4,041 violations in OSHA's preliminary fiscal 2026 data, 22.8% of the Top 10 total.

Is lockout/tagout in OSHA's top 10?

Yes. OSHA's lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147) was third in its preliminary fiscal 2026 list with 1,863 violations, up from fourth in fiscal 2025. On OSHA's preliminary lists it has risen one place a year since fiscal 2023, when it was sixth.

How many forklift violations does OSHA cite?

OSHA's powered industrial trucks standard (29 CFR 1910.178), which covers forklifts, drew 1,379 violations in its preliminary fiscal 2026 data, seventh on the list. In fiscal 2025, Safety+Health's section data shows the most cited parts were safe operation (413 violations), refresher training and evaluation (223) and certifying operator training (223).

When does OSHA release its top 10 list?

OSHA presents a preliminary list each year at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo, in September or October, and later publishes its final list on osha.gov. The fiscal 2026 list was presented on 15 September 2026, and OSHA's fiscal 2025 page was last updated on 15 April 2026.

Why did OSHA's top 10 violation counts fall?

OSHA's lists do not give a reason. The counts are violations cited on federal OSHA inspections, so they move with the number and type of inspections as well as with conditions on worksites. Allowing for each list's different data window, MapTrack's analysis of OSHA's figures shows the Top 10 fell from about 2,450 violations per 30 days in fiscal 2023 to about 1,590 in fiscal 2026.

Sources

Explore related resources

OSHA Penalty Exposure Calculator

Estimate penalty exposure for serious, wilful and repeated violations.

Lockout/Tagout Statistics 2026

Citations and penalties by industry and workplace size, from OSHA’s enforcement tables.

Safety & Compliance Statistics

Penalties, workplace fatalities and injury costs, with unsupported claims withdrawn.

WHS Enforcement in Australia 2026

Regulator enforcement and penalty data for Australian workplaces.

Pre-start Inspections

Daily equipment checks recorded against each asset.

Compliance Features

Inspection records and compliance history in one place.

All Industry Statistics

Browse the full collection of cited statistics.

Start free trial

Ready to track every asset?

Join construction, mining and field service teams across Australia.

Start free trialBook a demo
G2 4.9 out of 5 stars4.9 on G2 · 5.0 on CapterraCapterra 5.0 out of 5 stars
  • No credit card required
  • 30 days free trial
  • Cancel anytime