PROVEN SOLUTIONS: Fall Protection, Machine Guarding Once Again On OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards

According to a report from ohsonline.com, OSHA’s top 10 most frequently cited standards for 2021 were announced by Acting Director of OSHA and Directorate of Enforcement Programs Patrick Kapust in December of 2021. This list was obviously presented a little before the final numbers for the year were in, but it doesn’t hold any surprises. Here’s a look.


The Facts:

OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards (2021)

  1. Fall Protection, general requirements
  2. Respiratory Protection, general industry
  3. Ladders, construction
  4. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction
  5. Hazard Communication Standard, general requirements
  6. Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), general requirements
  7. Fall Protection – Training Requirements
  8. Eye and Face Protection
  9. Powered Industrial Trucks, general requirements
  10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements

The Challenge:

As it has in previous years, fall protection takes the top spot, appearing a second time in seventh position in a slightly different manner (training regarding fall protection). It is clear that in 2021 – as it has been for many, many years – OSHA made it a priority to protect workers from the dangers of working at height.

Further down on the list, but still in the top 10, is machinery and machine guarding, another topic that seems to get more and more attention every year from those in the industrial world. The idea of keeping workers away from dangerous equipment was once something of an afterthought, but not anymore. OSHA takes it seriously, and companies that care about their employees do, too.

How can you keep your workers safe on elevated surfaces, mezzanines and ladderways? How can you keep employees and visitors away from hazardous machines and forklift traffic? By partnering with a manufacturer that develops safety gates and railings designed to specifically address your safety needs.

The Solution:

EdgeSafe® Safety Railing being used in a machine guarding application.

Whether your team is working at height or working around dangerous equipment, keeping them safe is an important job. Products from PS Safety Access™ are designed to prevent falls, protect edges and seal off restricted areas. They’re simple to install, built to last with heavy-gauge steel and easy to maintain.

When you need products to address two of OSHA’s biggest concerns – fall protection and machine guarding – trust the innovative professionals at PS Safety Access:

SafeMezz® Mezzanine Gates – protect elevated platforms

SafeMezz360™

EdgeHalt® Ladder Safety Gates – protect ladderways on elevated platforms

EdgeSafe® Smart Gates – protect docks and guard machines

EdgeSafe Safety Railings – guard machines and control pedestrian traffic

EdgeSafe Personnel Access Gate – protect areas in which personnel and forklifts share the same traffic spaces

If you’d like to see more about this annual list, visit osha.gov. If you’d like to learn more about the products from PS Safety Access, contact us here.