Improper fall protection was the most-cited OSHA violation in 2025. OSHA violations carry a financial penalty that the assessed company must pay. Last year, those penalties were $16,550 for each violation, as well as each day an employer fails to abate a previously cited violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations is $165,514 per violation. In 2026, OSHA will not increase the citation fee due to the six-week federal government shutdown last year.
Top OSHA violations for fiscal year 2025:
- Fall protection – General requirements: 5,914 total violations
- Hazard communication: 2,546
- Ladders: 2,405
- Control of hazardous energy – Lockout/tagout: 2,177
- Respiratory protection: 1,953
- Fall protection – Training requirements: 1,907
- Scaffolding: 1,905
- Powered industrial trucks: 1,826
- Personal protective and life-saving equipment – Eye and face protection: 1,665
- Machine guarding: 1,239
