The following is an abridgement of an article originally published on the NSC website on October 24th 2023.

The NSC Safety Congress & Expo 2023

The NSC Safety Congress & Expo held in New Orleans, is the world’s largest annual gathering of safety professionals, organized by the National Safety Council (NSC), America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate. The event aims to eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education, and advocacy.

OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations for 2023

One of the highlights of the event was the announcement of OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations for fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30th. The list shows the most common safety hazards across all industries and how to prevent them. Eric Harbin, OSHA Region 6 administrator, presented the preliminary data during the event and discussed the implications for safety professionals.

Summary of top citations

Fall Protection – General Requirements remained at the top of the list for the 13th year in a row, followed by Hazard Communication and Ladders. Construction was a common theme among many entries on the top 10, as roofing contractors were the most likely to violate many of the standards on the list. The NSC president and CEO urged the safety community to come together to address these persistent trends and protect workers.

The Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for FY 2023 are:

• Fall Protection – General Requirements: 7,271 violations
• Hazard Communication: 3,213
• Ladders: 2,978
• Scaffolding: 2,859
• Powered Industrial Trucks: 2,561
• Lockout/Tagout: 2,554
• Respiratory Protection: 2,481
• Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 2,112
• Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection: 2,074
• Machine Guarding: 1,644
  

These violations help highlight how workplaces can improve safety and prevent future accidents. They illuminate key areas for ongoing improvement and discussion. The 2023 NSC Safety Congress & Expo will continue, and it will explore solutions to safety issues such as those revealed in OSHA's top violations. To find out more click here.

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Sources

OSHA Reveals Top 10 Safety Violations at NSC Congress & Expo by NSC, 24th October, 2023.

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