When OSHA shared its preliminary fiscal year 2026 list of the 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards at the NSC Safety Congress & Expo in September, the top of the list stayed consistent. Fall Protection, General Requirements ranked No. 1 for the 16th straight year, with 4,041 violations. Hazard Communication followed with 1,961 violations, and Control of Hazardous Energy, known as lockout-tagout, came next with 1,863.
OSHA’s message went beyond the numbers. Prent Cline, acting deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, described a familiar pattern during inspections: a large share of cited employers are small and midsize organizations, and confusion about requirements still shows up on jobsites. Even experienced safety pros run into compliance questions, and the same types of deficiencies keep repeating as OSHA’s inspection mix shifts from industry to industry.
For mason contractors, the eye and face protection standard, 1926.102, is a clear reminder to stay tight on basics. OSHA reported recurring issues in construction where workers had no eye protection, lacked side protection, or wore eyewear that did not meet applicable specifications. Prescription glasses also created compliance problems when workers used everyday eyewear instead of safety-rated protection. OSHA said it saw violations among framing, roofing, siding, and mason contractors, with residential construction and renovation standing out.
Comfort also plays a role. OSHA tied noncompliance to workers rejecting eye protection that fogs, gets hot, or feels uncomfortable. That also makes this hazard easy to miss, because compliance changes from worker to worker and job to job. Crews need a system that checks protection in real time, not just on paper, and supervisors need to confirm side protection and proper eyewear every day.
Read the full, original article from Occupational Health & Safety here.