Most Cited OSHA Standards
The most cited OSHA standard in the last 12 months was Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200), with 6,687 citations. Duty to Have Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926.501) was second with 6,069.
Citations issued Oct 25, 2025 to Sep 21, 2026 · 76,583 federal citation items · Updated Oct 25, 2026
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Start 7-day free trialTop 25 most cited OSHA standards
Citation items issued in the last 12 months, grouped by standard section. Serious is the share cited as serious. Initial penalties are the amounts first proposed, before any settlement.
| # | Standard | Citations | Serious | Initial penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 60% serious · $8,923,942 initial penalties | 6,687 | 60% | $8,923,942 |
| 2 | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 78% serious · $39,039,959 initial penalties | 6,069 | 78% | $39,039,959 |
| 3 | Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147 79% serious · $26,456,490 initial penalties | 4,183 | 79% | $26,456,490 |
| 4 | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 67% serious · $8,199,895 initial penalties | 3,903 | 67% | $8,199,895 |
| 5 | Ladders 29 CFR 1926.1053 85% serious · $9,320,679 initial penalties | 2,688 | 85% | $9,320,679 |
| 6 | Scaffolds – General Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451 91% serious · $10,125,015 initial penalties | 2,668 | 91% | $10,125,015 |
| 7 | Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) 29 CFR 1910.178 59% serious · $9,927,624 initial penalties | 2,656 | 59% | $9,927,624 |
| 8 | Electrical – General 29 CFR 1910.303 58% serious · $4,888,787 initial penalties | 2,415 | 58% | $4,888,787 |
| 9 | Fall Protection Training 29 CFR 1926.503 58% serious · $4,600,878 initial penalties | 2,369 | 58% | $4,600,878 |
| 10 | Electrical – Wiring Methods & Components 29 CFR 1910.305 60% serious · $3,485,678 initial penalties | 2,189 | 60% | $3,485,678 |
| 11 | Machine Guarding 29 CFR 1910.212 87% serious · $17,035,854 initial penalties | 2,182 | 87% | $17,035,854 |
| 12 | Personal Protective Equipment 29 CFR 1910.132 44% serious · $4,702,599 initial penalties | 1,856 | 44% | $4,702,599 |
| 13 | Eye & Face Protection 29 CFR 1926.102 84% serious · $5,272,704 initial penalties | 1,708 | 84% | $5,272,704 |
| 14 | Portable Fire Extinguishers 29 CFR 1910.157 38% serious · $1,254,218 initial penalties | 1,651 | 38% | $1,254,218 |
| 15 | Bloodborne Pathogens 29 CFR 1910.1030 75% serious · $2,096,474 initial penalties | 1,223 | 75% | $2,096,474 |
| 16 | General Safety & Health Provisions 29 CFR 1926.20 72% serious · $5,116,800 initial penalties | 1,082 | 72% | $5,116,800 |
| 17 | Fall Protection 29 CFR 1910.28 85% serious · $5,832,125 initial penalties | 1,081 | 85% | $5,832,125 |
| 18 | Exit Routes – Maintenance & Safeguards 29 CFR 1910.37 54% serious · $2,033,471 initial penalties | 1,075 | 54% | $2,033,471 |
| 19 | Walking-Working Surfaces 29 CFR 1910.22 69% serious · $4,662,709 initial penalties | 1,071 | 69% | $4,662,709 |
| 20 | Head Protection 29 CFR 1926.100 89% serious · $2,799,064 initial penalties | 964 | 89% | $2,799,064 |
| 21 | Respirable Crystalline Silica (Construction) 29 CFR 1926.1153 77% serious · $1,723,651 initial penalties | 919 | 77% | $1,723,651 |
| 22 | Specific Excavation Requirements 29 CFR 1926.651 80% serious · $7,888,970 initial penalties | 878 | 80% | $7,888,970 |
| 23 | Medical Services & First Aid 29 CFR 1910.151 81% serious · $3,350,129 initial penalties | 865 | 81% | $3,350,129 |
| 24 | Fall Protection Systems Criteria & Practices 29 CFR 1926.502 85% serious · $2,863,751 initial penalties | 862 | 85% | $2,863,751 |
| 25 | Permit-Required Confined Spaces 29 CFR 1910.146 88% serious · $3,184,341 initial penalties | 772 | 88% | $3,184,341 |
Top 10 in construction
Inspections of construction firms (NAICS 23).
| # | Standard | Citations | Serious | Initial penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 78% serious · $38,164,227 initial penalties | 5,951 | 78% | $38,164,227 |
| 2 | Ladders 29 CFR 1926.1053 85% serious · $9,087,507 initial penalties | 2,633 | 85% | $9,087,507 |
| 3 | Scaffolds – General Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451 91% serious · $9,746,436 initial penalties | 2,571 | 91% | $9,746,436 |
| 4 | Fall Protection Training 29 CFR 1926.503 58% serious · $4,486,057 initial penalties | 2,319 | 58% | $4,486,057 |
| 5 | Eye & Face Protection 29 CFR 1926.102 84% serious · $5,189,995 initial penalties | 1,681 | 84% | $5,189,995 |
| 6 | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 51% serious · $1,377,381 initial penalties | 1,467 | 51% | $1,377,381 |
| 7 | General Safety & Health Provisions 29 CFR 1926.20 72% serious · $4,744,961 initial penalties | 1,033 | 72% | $4,744,961 |
| 8 | Head Protection 29 CFR 1926.100 89% serious · $2,722,442 initial penalties | 939 | 89% | $2,722,442 |
| 9 | Fall Protection Systems Criteria & Practices 29 CFR 1926.502 84% serious · $2,764,521 initial penalties | 844 | 84% | $2,764,521 |
| 10 | Respirable Crystalline Silica (Construction) 29 CFR 1926.1153 77% serious · $1,539,260 initial penalties | 817 | 77% | $1,539,260 |
Top 10 in general industry
Inspections of every other industry.
| # | Standard | Citations | Serious | Initial penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 63% serious · $7,546,561 initial penalties | 5,220 | 63% | $7,546,561 |
| 2 | Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147 79% serious · $25,591,658 initial penalties | 3,929 | 79% | $25,591,658 |
| 3 | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 67% serious · $7,451,658 initial penalties | 3,324 | 67% | $7,451,658 |
| 4 | Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) 29 CFR 1910.178 60% serious · $9,102,711 initial penalties | 2,321 | 60% | $9,102,711 |
| 5 | Electrical – General 29 CFR 1910.303 56% serious · $4,724,243 initial penalties | 2,247 | 56% | $4,724,243 |
| 6 | Machine Guarding 29 CFR 1910.212 87% serious · $16,828,498 initial penalties | 2,107 | 87% | $16,828,498 |
| 7 | Electrical – Wiring Methods & Components 29 CFR 1910.305 58% serious · $3,329,650 initial penalties | 2,046 | 58% | $3,329,650 |
| 8 | Personal Protective Equipment 29 CFR 1910.132 44% serious · $4,510,071 initial penalties | 1,688 | 44% | $4,510,071 |
| 9 | Portable Fire Extinguishers 29 CFR 1910.157 36% serious · $1,174,657 initial penalties | 1,519 | 36% | $1,174,657 |
| 10 | Bloodborne Pathogens 29 CFR 1910.1030 75% serious · $2,093,664 initial penalties | 1,209 | 75% | $2,093,664 |
Most cited standard by state
All citations in each state in the last 12 months, including state-plan rules such as Cal/OSHA Title 8. Open a state for its recent inspections and penalties.
| State | Most cited standard | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| California | Injury & Illness Prevention Program 8 CCR §3203 | 1,680 of 13,734 |
| Washington | Safety Standards for Construction Work WAC 296-155-110 | 858 of 10,656 |
| Michigan | General Provisions 408.40114 | 607 of 9,211 |
| Maryland | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 737 of 5,056 |
| Virginia | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 374 of 4,752 |
| Oregon | Safety Committees & Safety Meetings OAR 437-001-0765 | 649 of 4,326 |
| Tennessee | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 575 of 4,287 |
| Illinois | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 416 of 4,242 |
| New York | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 243 of 4,185 |
| Texas | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 374 of 3,646 |
| Minnesota | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 385 of 3,529 |
| North Carolina | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 315 of 3,388 |
| New Jersey | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 338 of 3,387 |
| Florida | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 539 of 3,252 |
| Ohio | Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147 | 350 of 2,743 |
| Connecticut | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 402 of 2,538 |
| Pennsylvania | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 187 of 2,487 |
| Wisconsin | Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147 | 321 of 2,192 |
| Massachusetts | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 209 of 2,182 |
| PR | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 188 of 1,966 |
| Georgia | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 321 of 1,791 |
| Kentucky | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 95 of 1,729 |
| Nevada | Electrical – General 29 CFR 1910.303 | 134 of 1,470 |
| Alabama | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 209 of 1,262 |
| Colorado | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 117 of 1,134 |
| Arizona | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 | 105 of 891 |
| Iowa | Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) 29 CFR 1910.178 | 53 of 881 |
| Utah | Machine Guarding 29 CFR 1910.212 | 77 of 855 |
| Missouri | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 146 of 823 |
| Hawaii | Electrical – Wiring Methods & Components 29 CFR 1910.305 | 84 of 805 |
| Rhode Island | Abatement Verification 29 CFR 1903.19 | 62 of 765 |
| Indiana | Machine Guarding 29 CFR 1910.212 | 79 of 728 |
| South Carolina | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 55 of 662 |
| Kansas | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 141 of 615 |
| Maine | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 | 61 of 563 |
| Oklahoma | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 73 of 553 |
| South Dakota | Machine Guarding 29 CFR 1910.212 | 36 of 538 |
| Alaska | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 52 of 519 |
| Idaho | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 | 47 of 496 |
| New Hampshire | General Safety & Health Provisions 29 CFR 1926.20 | 54 of 492 |
| New Mexico | Respiratory Protection 29 CFR 1910.134 | 52 of 427 |
| Nebraska | Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147 | 32 of 394 |
| Delaware | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 49 of 357 |
| Vermont | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 52 of 353 |
| Wyoming | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 36 of 254 |
| West Virginia | Logging Operations 29 CFR 1910.266 | 20 of 203 |
| Louisiana | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 16 of 201 |
| Montana | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 34 of 190 |
| Mississippi | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 26 of 172 |
| North Dakota | Duty to Have Fall Protection 29 CFR 1926.501 | 27 of 169 |
| VI | Sanitation 29 CFR 1910.141 | 27 of 159 |
| District of Columbia | Scaffolds – General Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451 | 16 of 130 |
| Arkansas | Scaffolds – General Requirements 29 CFR 1926.451 | 14 of 118 |
| GU | Hazard Communication 29 CFR 1910.1200 | 10 of 68 |
| AS | Fall Protection Systems Criteria & Practices 29 CFR 1926.502 | 6 of 16 |
| MP | Ladders 29 CFR 1926.1053 | 2 of 6 |
Where this data comes from
These counts come from public OSHA enforcement data: the inspection and citation records the U.S. Department of Labor publishes. OSHAlert collects those records and counts every citation item issued in the last 12 months. A single inspection can cite the same standard more than once.
The top 25 and the industry lists rank federal standards (29 CFR) and the General Duty Clause. The state table also counts state-plan rules. OSHAlert is an independent service and is not affiliated with OSHA.
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