In fiscal year 2012, which ran from October 2011 through September 2012, federal OSHA conducted almost 41,000 workplace safety and health inspections. Here are the top 10 citations the agency handed to companies:

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) Total violations: 7,250
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,696
3. Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,814
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,371
5. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,310
6. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 2,097
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,993
8. Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305): 1,744
9. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,572
10. Electrical – General Requirements (1910.303): 1,332

You can compare the 2012 OSHA top 10 to last year’s here.

The 2012 top 10 list was released at the National Safety Council’s 2012 congress in Orlando.

Tags: fall protection, hazard communication, National Safety Council, OSHA top 10 violations, scaffolding