OSHA’s Top Cited Standards of 2025: What Employers Need to Know
Every year, OSHA shares its list of the most frequently cited safety standards, giving employers a snapshot of the areas where businesses tend to fall short. For 2025, the preliminary data is in, and it offers valuable insights into the most common OSHA compliance gaps businesses face.
At the top of the list, for the 15th year in a row, fall protection general requirements continue to be the leading violation, with nearly 6,000 citations. Hazard communication, ladders, lockout/tagout for controlling hazardous energy, and respiratory protection followed closely behind, each with thousands of violations across workplaces. Issues like scaffolding, powered industrial trucks, eye and face protection, and machine guarding also made the list, showing that the basics of workplace safety remain a challenge for many organizations.
There were a few shifts compared to the prior year. Respiratory protection, for example, slipped from the fourth most common violation down to fifth place, while scaffolding moved up a spot. Despite these changes, the overall picture remains consistent: the same categories tend to appear year after year, underscoring how important it is for employers to pay attention to these areas, offer continuous training, and ensure PPE is always available.
Why does this matter? Each of these citations represents a hazard that has the potential to cause serious injury to employees on the job. OSHA publishes the list not just to highlight problems, but to encourage businesses to take a proactive look at their own practices. By staying ahead of these risks, employers can protect their people and avoid costly citations at the same time. We can also assume that in the event OSHA visits your workplace, these are the areas they are going to be evaluating as the most common violations and areas of concern.
To dig into any of these areas more, visit OSHA.com to more information. It’s worth noting that the 2025 data is still preliminary and may be updated. Still, the message is clear that organizations should take this as an opportunity to review their own safety programs, refresh training, and address any gaps before an unexpected OSHA visit.
At Rising Tide HR, we bring extensive experience in helping organizations stay ahead of these challenges. Our team supports businesses by building safety training and education programs designed to prevent OSHA violations, managing annual compliance reporting, and guiding leaders through the process when employee injuries or OSHA claims arise. With the right planning and support, you can protect your team, reduce risks, and focus on growing your business with confidence.
