OSHA's Top 10 Most Cited Violations of 2026: What It Means for Your Crew

OSHA’s preliminary FY2026 Top 10 Most Cited Violations list is now available, and the message for construction employers is familiar but important: many of the most common citations are connected to hazards crews encounter every day.

Falls, ladders, scaffolds, PPE, respiratory protection, and powered equipment all remain major compliance priorities. Fall protection led the list for the 16th consecutive year, with approximately 4,041 violations.

The numbers are not meant to create fear. They are a practical checklist for contractors, supervisors, and entry-level workers. Here is what each citation means, why it happens so often, and what your crew can do to reduce risk.

What changed from FY2025?

The preliminary FY2026 list contains the same general categories as the prior year, but the order changed:

• Hazard communication remained second.

• Lockout/tagout moved up to third.

• Scaffolding moved higher on the list.

• Ladders moved from the top tier to fifth.

• Fall protection training requirements entered at number eight.

• Eye and face protection and machine guarding remained in the Top 10.

Reported citation totals were lower across the list than FY2025. However, FY2026 figures are preliminary, and year-to-year comparisons can be affected by inspection activity, reporting dates, and changes in enforcement focus. A lower count does not mean a hazard has disappeared.

1. Fall Protection, General Requirements

Resource

29 CFR 1926.501, approximately 4,041 violations.

Key lesson

Fall protection remains OSHA’s most frequently cited construction standard because workers are routinely exposed to unprotected edges, leading edges, floor openings, roofs, platforms, and elevated work areas.

For many construction activities, fall protection is required when workers are exposed to falls of 6 feet or more. Holes and certain dangerous equipment hazards may require protection at any height.

Practical fixes include installing guardrails before work begins, covering and labeling floor openings, inspecting personal fall arrest systems, and providing suitable anchor points. Supervisors should also verify that protection remains in place as the job changes.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1926.501 and 29 CFR 1926.502.

Training idea

During a pre-task briefing, ask workers to identify every possible fall exposure in the work area. Have them explain which control (guardrail, safety net, personal fall arrest system, or another approved method) will be used before work starts.

2. Hazard Communication

Resource

29 CFR 1910.1200, approximately 1,961 violations.

Key lesson

Hazard communication citations often result from missing written programs, incomplete chemical inventories, unavailable safety data sheets, or workers who have not been trained to understand chemical hazards.

A practical fix is to maintain a current chemical list and make SDSs accessible to every worker during every shift. Containers must be labeled, including secondary containers used for temporary storage. Training should explain chemical names, warning labels, exposure routes, required PPE, and emergency procedures.

Relevant standards

The primary requirement is 29 CFR 1910.1200. Construction employers should also review OSHA’s Hazard Communication Safety and Health Topics page.

Training idea

Give learners a common jobsite product (such as solvent, concrete sealer, fuel, or adhesive) and ask them to locate its hazards, required PPE, first-aid information, and storage requirements on the SDS.

3. Control of Hazardous Energy, Lockout/Tagout

Resource

29 CFR 1910.147, approximately 1,863 violations.

Key lesson

Lockout/tagout, or LOTO, is cited when employers lack energy-control procedures or workers do not follow them consistently. Electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, and stored energy can all cause serious injuries during maintenance or repair.

A specific fix is to create machine-by-machine procedures that identify every energy source. Authorized employees must know how to shut down, isolate, lock, tag, release stored energy, and verify zero energy before work begins. Periodic inspections and retraining are also essential.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1910.147 and OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout Safety and Health Topics page.

Training idea

Use a piece of equipment common to the company and have workers identify its energy sources. Require them to describe how they would verify that the equipment is safe before maintenance begins.

4. Scaffolding

Resource

29 CFR 1926.451, approximately 1,725 violations in the detailed preliminary breakdown.

Key lesson

Scaffold citations commonly involve missing guardrails, incomplete decking, unstable foundations, unsafe access, overloading, and improper alteration. Scaffolds can change quickly as crews add platforms, move materials, or work around other trades.

Before use, a competent person should inspect the scaffold. Platforms should be fully decked where required, access should be safe, and foundations should be level and capable of supporting the load. Do not use makeshift boxes, barrels, or ladders on scaffold platforms to gain extra height.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1926.451 and 29 CFR 1926.454.

Training idea

Show workers a scaffold inspection checklist and several common defects. Ask them to decide whether the scaffold is ready for use, needs correction, or must be removed from service.

5. Ladders

Resource

29 CFR 1926.1053, approximately 1,659 violations.

Key lesson

Ladders are frequently cited because they are convenient, familiar, and often used incorrectly. OSHA reported problems involving defective ladders, improper setup, ladders used for unintended purposes, failure to extend above landing surfaces, and workers standing on top steps.

Inspect ladders before use. Set them on stable, level surfaces, maintain safe access, secure them when necessary, and keep three points of contact while climbing. Do not use a ladder as a bridge, scaffold, or substitute for equipment designed for the task.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1926.1053 and OSHA’s Ladder Safety resources.

Training idea

Have workers inspect several ladders with intentional defects. Ask them to identify problems with feet, rails, rungs, labels, placement, and extension above a landing.

6. Respiratory Protection

Resource

29 CFR 1910.134, approximately 1,608 violations.

Key lesson

Respiratory protection citations often involve missing medical evaluations, fit testing, training, written programs, or incorrect respirator selection. A dust mask or respirator cannot protect a worker if it does not match the hazard or fit correctly.

Employers must first evaluate feasible engineering and work-practice controls. When respirators are required, the program should address selection, medical evaluation, fit testing, cleaning, storage, inspection, and training.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1910.134. For construction silica exposures, also review 29 CFR 1926.1153.

Training idea

Ask workers to explain why fit testing and medical evaluation are separate requirements. Include a respirator inspection and storage demonstration.

7. Powered Industrial Trucks

Resource

29 CFR 1910.178, approximately 1,379 violations.

Key lesson

Forklift violations often involve inadequate operator training, missing evaluations, skipped inspections, defective equipment, and failure to provide refresher training when conditions change.

Operators must be trained and evaluated for the specific type of truck and workplace conditions. Daily or shift inspections should identify problems before equipment is used. Defective trucks must be removed from service until repaired.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1910.178.

Training idea

Use a pre-shift inspection form and ask learners to identify which defects require the forklift to be tagged out immediately.

8. Fall Protection, Training Requirements

Resource

29 CFR 1926.503, approximately 1,273 violations.

Key lesson

Fall protection equipment is not enough if workers do not know when and how to use it. OSHA reported citations involving untrained workers, incomplete training, missing documentation, and new employees beginning work before training was completed.

Training must cover the hazards present, the proper use of protection systems, and procedures for installing, maintaining, inspecting, and removing those systems. Retraining is needed when conditions, equipment, or worker performance changes.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1926.503.

Training idea

Have each worker demonstrate how to inspect a harness, identify an approved connection point, and explain what to do if fall protection is missing or damaged.

9. Eye and Face Protection

Resource

29 CFR 1926.102, approximately 1,120 violations.

Key lesson

Eye and face protection is often overlooked during short-duration tasks such as cutting, drilling, grinding, framing, roofing, siding, and masonry work. OSHA reported workers without protection, without side protection, or wearing eyewear that did not meet applicable requirements.

Employers should conduct a hazard assessment and provide properly fitted protection for flying particles, dust, chemicals, sparks, and radiation. Workers should inspect eyewear and replace scratched, damaged, or unsuitable equipment.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1926.102.

Training idea

Match common construction tasks with the correct eye or face protection. Include a discussion of when safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or specialized filters are appropriate.

10. Machine Guarding

Resource

29 CFR 1910.212, approximately 1,072 violations.

Key lesson

Machine guarding protects workers from rotating parts, nip points, flying chips, sparks, and other dangerous motion. Citations occur when guards are missing, bypassed, poorly secured, or designed in a way that creates another hazard.

Before operating equipment, workers should confirm that guards are installed and functional. Never remove or bypass a guard to save time. Maintenance and repair should follow the applicable energy-control procedure.

Relevant standards

Review 29 CFR 1910.212.

Training idea

Use photos or equipment demonstrations to identify nip points, pinch points, rotating components, and missing guards. Ask workers to explain how they would report a guarding problem.

Turn OSHA’s Top 10 Into a Jobsite Action Plan

The Top 10 list is most useful when it becomes part of daily work, not just an annual compliance discussion. Contractors can use it to review inspections, toolbox talks, onboarding, subcontractor expectations, and corrective-action tracking.

Rise Up Safety’s OSHA 10-Hour Construction Course helps entry-level workers build foundational knowledge in fall protection, PPE, electrical safety, hazard recognition, and other core construction safety topics. The course supports safer decision-making, but it does not replace employer-specific training, competent-person requirements, equipment qualifications, or site-specific instruction.

For a crew, a strong next step is simple: select one citation category each week, inspect the jobsite for related hazards, discuss the applicable standard, and correct problems before work continues. Consistent training and practical follow-through are how compliance becomes part of the way your crew works.