Fewer than 100 employees? Take a look at OSHA’s non-construction Top 10

Each year, OSHA identifies recurring violations that put employees’ safety at risk. While these violations can lead to costly penalties, they also highlight gaps in training, compliance, and safety culture. Our table shows the top 10 non-construction violations for employers with fewer than 100 employees as well as the top three violators for each. 

Breaking it down

Citations were heavily concentrated in manufacturing industries, perhaps not surprising as these environments can present a wide range of hazards such as chemicals, moving machinery and equipment, and temperature extremes. Rounding out the top violators were repair and maintenance, warehousing and storage, merchant wholesalers, and administrative and support services.

Administrative and support services, which includes things like employment services, travel services, and facilities support services, was found only in the PPE and General Duty Clause categories. Under the PPE standard, employers must perform a hazard assessment, document and certify the assessment, provide appropriate PPE, and train employees in its proper usage, among other requirements. OSHA can use the General Duty Clause to cite for hazards for which no regulatory standard exists, such as heat, ergonomics, and workplace violence.

Food manufacturers were dinged with lockout/tagout and electrical citations. Employees in this industry may perform equipment maintenance or otherwise be exposed to hazards during this maintenance; lockout/tagout covers these activities. Employees exposed to electric shock or who work on or near exposed energized parts must be trained according to 1910.332.

Number six on the list, abatement verification, was a surprise. Under 1903.19, “abatement” means action by an employer to comply with a cited standard or regulation or to eliminate a recognized hazard identified by OSHA during an inspection. OSHA sets a date for hazards to be corrected, and employers must certify and document that this has been done. They also may be required to submit an abatement plan and/or a progress report. Additionally, the employer must inform affected employees and their representative(s) about abatement activities by posting a copy of each document submitted to OSHA or a summary of the document near the place where the violation occurred.

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