How to prepare for a programmed OSHA inspection

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is a programmed OSHA inspection and how is it different from a complaint inspection?

OSHA runs two broad categories of inspections. Unprogrammed inspections respond to something specific: a fatality, a worker complaint, a referral from another agency. Programmed inspections are different. Nobody called. Nobody got hurt. OSHA simply decided your industry or your site fits a targeting criteria, and scheduled a visit.

The legal authority sits in the OSH Act of 1970, Section 8(a), which gives compliance officers the right to enter any workplace covered by the Act "at reasonable times" to inspect conditions, equipment, and records ^[1]. No complaint required.

In practice, OSHA uses four main tools to pick programmed targets. First is the Site-Specific Targeting (SST) program, which ranks establishments by their Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rates pulled from the OSHA 300A data employers submit each year ^[2]. Second, OSHA runs National Emphasis Programs (NEPs) aimed at specific hazards like combustible dust or silica. Third, Local Emphasis Programs (LEPs) let each OSHA Area Office target industries common in their region. Fourth, random sampling sometimes applies in high-hazard sectors.

Here's the practical difference for you. A complaint inspection shows up because someone reported a specific condition, and the officer usually focuses there. A programmed inspection is a full-scope walkaround. The officer may look at every element of your safety program, every required document, every hazard on the floor. The scope is wider, so the preparation has to be too.

How does OSHA select workplaces for programmed inspections?

SST is the most direct targeting tool OSHA uses for general industry. Under the current SST plan, OSHA pulls 300A data that employers with 250 or more employees, plus certain high-hazard employers with 20 to 249 employees, submit electronically through the Injury Tracking Application ^[2]. Sites with DART rates above a set threshold land on the primary inspection list. Sites with unusually low rates can land on a secondary list, because OSHA sometimes suspects under-recording.

For smaller employers below those thresholds, LEPs and NEPs do most of the targeting work. Run a warehousing operation in a region where the area office has a Local Emphasis Program on powered industrial trucks? Your site may be selected regardless of your injury rate. The same logic applies in construction, where OSHA's NEP on falls targets worksites in that sector on a rolling basis ^[3].

Your NAICS code matters too. BLS data consistently shows that logging, roofing, truck transportation, and animal slaughtering carry the highest fatal injury rates ^[4]. OSHA concentrates programmed inspection resources in the sectors with the worst numbers.

One thing worth knowing: OSHA publishes its current NEPs and most LEPs on OSHA.gov ^[5]. You can look up whether your industry or region is under a targeting program right now. It takes about ten minutes, and it tells you exactly what an officer is likely to focus on when they walk in.

How much notice does OSHA give before a programmed inspection?

Almost none, and that's the point.

Section 17(f) of the OSH Act makes it a criminal offense to give advance notice of an inspection without authorization from the Secretary of Labor ^[1]. OSHA's own compliance manual says advance notice "shall not" be given except in a narrow set of circumstances: complex facilities where the employer needs to assemble appropriate personnel, situations where the inspection involves after-hours equipment operation, or cases where OSHA determines notice is necessary to conduct an effective inspection ^[6].

So for the overwhelming majority of programmed inspections, the first notice you get is a compliance officer standing at your front desk with credentials.

That fact shapes how you prepare. You cannot cram the night before. Everything the officer will ask for, every program document, every training record, every maintenance log, has to already exist and already be reachable. The facilities that do well treat inspection-readiness as a standing operational state, not a fire drill.

What documents does OSHA typically request in a programmed inspection?

The opening conference is usually where the compliance officer states what they want to see. The exact list varies by industry and by any targeting program in play, but across general industry these documents come up over and over.

Injury and illness records almost always come first. That means your OSHA 300 Log, your OSHA 300A Summary, and your OSHA 301 Incident Reports for the current year and the previous five years ^[7]. The recordkeeping rules at 29 CFR 1904 require you to keep these for five years and to produce them within four business hours of an OSHA request during an inspection.

Written programs are next. If your operation involves any of the following, OSHA will ask to see the written program that governs it: hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200), lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147), respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134), personal protective equipment (29 CFR 1910.132), emergency action plans (29 CFR 1910.38), and powered industrial trucks if you operate them. Each of those standards requires a written program by name.

Training records come right behind the programs. Having a written program isn't enough. You have to show you trained your workers on it. OSHA looks for records with the employee name, the training date, the topic, and the trainer or course name.

Equipment inspection and maintenance logs round out the common list: forklift daily inspection checklists, fire extinguisher service tags, eyewash station flush logs, crane inspection records where they apply.

Here's the pattern. The most common finding in documentation-heavy inspections isn't a missing program. It's a program that hasn't been touched in years, or training records that don't match the current workforce. Those gaps are easy to cite and hard to argue with.

Document	Governing Standard	Retention Requirement
OSHA 300 Log	29 CFR 1904.33	5 years
OSHA 300A Summary	29 CFR 1904.33	5 years
OSHA 301 Incident Report	29 CFR 1904.33	5 years
Hazard Communication Program	29 CFR 1910.1200	While in effect
Lockout/Tagout Program	29 CFR 1910.147	While in effect
Respiratory Protection Program	29 CFR 1910.134	While in effect
Forklift Operator Training Records	29 CFR 1910.178(l)	3 years (recommended)
Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan	29 CFR 1910.1030	While in effect

What happens during the walkaround, and what is the compliance officer actually looking for?

After the opening conference, the compliance officer walks the facility. You have the right to have a company representative accompany the officer the entire time ^[1]. Use it. Send someone who knows the facility and the safety program, not whoever happened to be at the front desk.

Workers also have a right to a representative, and officers will often speak with workers privately under Section 8(a) of the OSH Act ^[1]. Prep your people ahead of time: be honest, describe your actual job, and say you don't know if you don't know. Coaching workers to lie or deflect is the fastest way to turn a manageable inspection into a willful citation carrying penalties up to $161,323 per violation under the 2024 adjustment ^[8].

During the walkaround the officer photographs conditions, takes measurements, and writes down observations. Common physical findings include inadequate machine guarding, missing or inadequate fall protection, blocked emergency exits or fire extinguisher access, missing safety data sheets for chemicals in use, improperly stored hazardous materials, and electrical panel clearance violations.

Then comes the closing conference. The officer explains the apparent violations found. This is not a citation yet. It's preliminary findings. Present anything that adds context: documentation they didn't see during the walkaround, or evidence of a correction already underway.

What written safety programs do I need to have in place before an inspection?

It depends on what hazards are present in your workplace. OSHA's approach is hazard-based. If a hazard covered by a specific standard exists in your facility, the written program tied to it is required. You get no credit for a respiratory protection program if nobody uses respirators, and you can't point to your absence from a NAICS targeting list as a reason to skip one you actually need.

For most manufacturing, warehousing, and service operations, the baseline programs that surface in nearly every inspection are hazard communication, an emergency action plan, and lockout/tagout if you have equipment with stored energy. Workers who enter confined spaces? You need a confined space program. Workers exposed to bloodborne pathogens? You need an exposure control plan.

Some employers underestimate the hazard communication requirements. The standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200 requires a written program, a complete chemical inventory, safety data sheets for every chemical, and documented training. It was the second most frequently cited OSHA standard in fiscal year 2023 ^[9].

Need to build or update programs before an inspection hits? SafetyFolio's safety program generator produces OSHA-compliant written programs for common standards in about 15 minutes. Worth doing if your current documents are generic templates that never got tailored to your operation.

Here's what officers notice: boilerplate with the company name pasted in. A program that references a chemical your facility doesn't use, or describes a procedure that doesn't match how your workers actually do the job, invites questions. Tailor your programs to what you actually do.

How do I audit my own facility before OSHA shows up?

A self-audit is the single most useful thing you can do. You're doing the officer's job before they do it.

Start with records. Pull your OSHA 300 Log and confirm every recordable incident from the past five years is on it. Then verify the 300A summaries were posted between February 1 and April 30 each year and certified by a company executive ^[7]. Pull your training records and compare them against your current employee roster. Someone missing training your program requires? That's a gap you can close today.

Next, walk your facility the way an officer would. The OSHA Field Operations Manual describes how compliance officers conduct walkarounds ^[6]. They read a space top to bottom: overhead hazards first, then equipment at working level, then floor conditions. They check that machine guards are in place and not bypassed. They check electrical panel clearance (29 CFR 1910.303 requires 36 inches of clear space in front of panels). They check container labeling.

Pay extra attention to hazards covered by any current NEP or LEP hitting your industry. If OSHA is actively targeting a specific hazard in your sector, the officer coming through your door has been briefed to look for it.

Fix what you find before the inspection. Documented corrective action, even for hazards you caught yourself, shows good faith, and OSHA weighs good faith when it calculates penalties ^[8].

For OSHA training documentation specifically, make sure records are signed, dated, and stored somewhere you can reach fast. A binder in the HR office is fine. A shared drive folder works too, as long as you can pull a specific record in under ten minutes during an opening conference.

What should I do when the OSHA officer first arrives?

Stay calm. This is not a raid.

Ask to see the officer's credentials. Every OSHA compliance officer carries a Department of Labor identification card ^[6]. Verify it. You have the right to make a copy.

Then call the person you've designated as your inspection point-of-contact. Decide this in advance, not on the spot. It should be someone who actually knows your safety program: your safety manager, your operations manager, or in a small shop, you. Don't hand it to a receptionist who has no idea where the OSHA 300 Logs live.

Do not ask the officer to wait outside while you make calls, hide documents, or walk the floor yourself. It looks bad and accomplishes nothing. The officer is going to see whatever is there to see.

During the opening conference, listen closely to the scope of the inspection. If it's tied to a specific NEP, the officer will usually say so. That tells you where they're headed. Ask questions if the scope is unclear. You're not being difficult. You're doing your job.

Keep your own log during the inspection. Note every area visited, every document produced, every question asked and answered. That record helps if you contest a citation later.

One practical note. If you discover a hazard mid-walkaround that you hadn't known about, don't try to fix it while the officer stands there. Note it, tell the officer you'll correct it immediately after the inspection, and then actually do it. Hasty repairs during a walkaround sometimes create new hazards, and they don't undo the citation anyway.

What are the most common citations that come out of programmed OSHA inspections?

OSHA publishes its top 10 most-cited standards every fiscal year ^[9]. The list barely moves from year to year. For fiscal year 2023, the top citations across all industries were:

1. Fall protection in construction (29 CFR 1926.501) 2. Hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) 3. Ladders in construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) 4. Respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134) 5. Powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) 6. Lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) 7. Scaffolding in construction (29 CFR 1926.451) 8. Fall protection, training requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) 9. Eye and face protection in construction (29 CFR 1926.102) 10. Machine guarding, general (29 CFR 1910.212)

For general industry specifically, hazard communication, lockout/tagout, and respiratory protection show up again and again because their standards demand detailed written programs, training documentation, and equipment-specific procedures that are easy to cite the moment they're incomplete.

Machine guarding violations (29 CFR 1910.212) come up constantly in manufacturing inspections. Walking-working surfaces (29 CFR 1910.22 and 1910.23) appear in nearly every facility type. Electrical violations (29 CFR 1910.303 through 1910.308) are common because small operations accumulate panel clearance and wiring problems over years without noticing.

Worth knowing: most citations in programmed inspections are "other than serious" or "serious," not willful. A serious violation after informal settlement usually runs a few thousand dollars. A willful violation, which requires evidence the employer knew about the condition and did nothing, carries penalties up to $161,323 per instance ^[8]. Negligence and missing documentation are what push a serious citation toward willful.

How much do OSHA citations from programmed inspections typically cost?

OSHA raises its penalty levels each year for inflation under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act. For 2024, the maximums are ^[8]:

• Other-than-serious violation: up to $16,131 per violation
• Serious violation: up to $16,131 per violation
• Willful or repeated violation: up to $161,323 per violation
• Failure to abate a cited hazard past the deadline: up to $16,131 per day

Those are ceilings, not what most employers pay. OSHA applies several factors that pull penalties down: the employer's good faith in having programs and cooperating, the employer's history (first-time citations cost less than repeats), the size of the employer, and the severity and probability of injury from the cited condition. On size, businesses with 10 or fewer employees get a 70% reduction, 11 to 25 employees get 60%, 26 to 100 get 40%, and 101 to 250 get 20% ^[8].

For a small employer with no prior citations who cooperates fully and has documented programs, a serious citation often settles through an informal conference for somewhere between $1,500 and $5,000. That's not a precise figure. Area offices have discretion and outcomes vary. But it gives a realistic sense of what these citations actually cost, versus the statutory maximum.

The informal conference matters here. After citations arrive, you have 15 working days to pay the penalty, file a formal contest with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, or request an informal conference with the area director ^[8]. Request the informal conference. Reductions of 30 to 50 percent are common.

What should I do if I disagree with an OSHA citation after a programmed inspection?

You have real options. The OSH Act gives employers the right to contest both the citation and the proposed penalty ^[1].

The informal conference with the area director is your first move, and usually your best one. Request it within 15 working days of receiving the citation. Bring documentation that supports your position: training records, maintenance logs, corrective action evidence, equipment specs. Area directors can reduce penalties, move abatement dates, and in some cases withdraw citations entirely when the evidence supports it.

Can't resolve it informally? File a formal notice of contest within 15 working days of receiving the citation. The contest goes to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, an independent federal agency separate from OSHA ^[1]. That process runs through an administrative law judge and can take years. It usually makes sense only for large penalties or citations you believe are factually wrong and can document strongly.

For most small employers, the informal conference settles it. The one rule you cannot break is the clock. Miss the 15-working-day window and the citation becomes a final order, the penalty comes due, and you lose your formal contest rights.

One more thing. Even after you settle or pay, make sure the abatement actually happens. Failure to abate is a separate violation with daily penalties, and it's one of the fastest ways to earn a repeat or willful classification on your next inspection.

How can I check if my industry is currently being targeted for programmed inspections?

OSHA publishes its current National Emphasis Programs and many Local Emphasis Programs on OSHA.gov ^[5]. The NEP page lists active programs with start dates, targeted hazards, and covered NAICS codes. Ten minutes on that page tells you whether your industry is in an active targeting cycle.

For Local Emphasis Programs, contact your OSHA area office directly or check the area office's page on OSHA.gov. LEPs aren't always publicized as loudly as NEPs, but area offices will generally tell you if your sector is in an active cycle.

Site-Specific Targeting affects employers who submit electronic 300A data. If you've submitted a DART rate above the national average for your NAICS code, your establishment may be on the SST inspection list. OSHA publishes its SST methodology guidance ^[2].

For broader industry context, BLS publishes the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses each year ^[4]. Compare your establishment's rates against the BLS benchmark for your NAICS code and you'll know whether you sit above or below the average that drives SST targeting.

Knowing you're in a targeted sector doesn't change what you need to do. It tells you where to point your pre-inspection audit first. In a sector with an active silica NEP, for example, get your written silica control program and exposure monitoring records current before anything else.

How do I make sure my OSHA 300 log is inspection-ready?

The recordkeeping rules at 29 CFR 1904 could be their own course, but for inspection purposes the checklist is short and manageable.

First, confirm every recordable incident from the current year and the past five years is logged. A recordable is a work-related injury or illness that results in days away from work, restricted duty, job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or diagnosis of a significant injury by a healthcare professional ^[7]. First-aid-only cases stay off the log. Almost everything else goes on.

Second, check the columns. The 300 Log has separate columns for days away, restricted days, and job transfer. Fill them in. Don't leave them blank on cases where there were actual lost days.

Third, verify a certified 300A Summary exists for each year. The 300A must be signed by a company executive (owner, officer, or the senior person who oversaw workplace safety) and posted from February 1 through April 30 of the following year ^[7].

Fourth, confirm your 301 Incident Reports exist for every case on the 300 Log. The 301 is the detailed record of how the injury happened and what first treatment was given. An equivalent form, like a workers' compensation First Report of Injury, works as long as it captures every required field.

A fast cross-check: review your workers' compensation claims for the same five-year span against your 300 Log. Every WC claim involving medical treatment should almost certainly appear on the log. Gaps between the two are a common finding and a clean, easy citation. See our incident report guide for how to document cases correctly from the start.

What if I'm a small business with no dedicated safety manager?

Most small businesses in OSHA's universe have no safety manager. The owner or the operations lead carries that job on top of everything else. That's the real audience for most of what's written here.

The realistic approach for a small employer: block a few hours each quarter for a simple self-audit, keep your written programs in one folder (physical or digital) any manager can open immediately, and make sure someone besides you knows where the OSHA 300 Logs live.

OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program is worth knowing about. It's a free, confidential service, completely separate from enforcement, where a consultant visits your facility, identifies hazards, and helps you build compliance without the threat of citations ^[10]. Participating does not trigger an inspection, and findings stay confidential. OSHA funds it, but state agencies run it.

For written programs, the barrier is usually time, not knowledge. Most small business owners understand their hazards fine. Getting those controls into a properly formatted, OSHA-compliant document is where the friction lives. If that's where you're stuck, SafetyFolio's generator is worth a look. It covers the most commonly cited standards and produces documents you can actually use in an inspection, not generic forms an officer sees through in thirty seconds.

If you or a supervisor recently finished OSHA 30 training, put those skills straight into your pre-inspection audit. The 30-hour curriculum maps almost exactly to what compliance officers are trained to look for.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse entry to an OSHA compliance officer?

Technically yes, but it's rarely a good idea. If you refuse, OSHA can get an inspection warrant from a federal magistrate, usually within a day or two. Refusing without a warrant also sets an adversarial tone that makes the eventual inspection harder. Most employment attorneys advise cooperating fully while asserting your rights to have a representative present and to hold the officer to the stated scope of the inspection.

Does OSHA give advance notice of programmed inspections?

Almost never. Section 17(f) of the OSH Act makes it a criminal offense to give unauthorized advance notice of any OSHA inspection. The narrow exceptions include complex facilities that need specialized personnel present, after-hours inspections of equipment, or cases where notice is necessary to conduct an effective inspection. For a standard programmed inspection, your first notice is the officer at your door.

How long does a programmed OSHA inspection take?

It depends heavily on facility size and how many hazards turn up. A small manufacturing shop might take half a day. A large facility with complex processes can span several days. The opening conference typically runs 30 to 60 minutes. The walkaround varies by size. The closing conference usually runs another 30 to 60 minutes. If the officer finds significant issues, they may schedule a follow-up visit.

What happens if OSHA finds violations during a programmed inspection?

The officer issues citations after the inspection, not during it. Citations arrive by certified mail and list the specific standard violated, the penalty amount, and an abatement deadline. You then have 15 working days to pay the penalty, request an informal conference with the area director to negotiate, or file a formal contest with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Most employers start with the informal conference.

Do small employers with fewer than 10 employees get inspected?

Yes, but less often. Employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt from programmed inspections in low-hazard industries. High-hazard industries (construction, manufacturing, agriculture, logging) get no such exemption. Size does affect penalties: employers with 10 or fewer employees qualify for a 70% penalty reduction, and employers with 11 to 25 employees get a 60% reduction.

What is an OSHA Local Emphasis Program and how do I find out if my area has one?

A Local Emphasis Program is a targeting initiative run by a single OSHA area office, focused on industries or hazards common in that region. A region with heavy maritime activity might run an LEP on marine terminal hazards, for example. To find active LEPs near you, contact your local OSHA area office directly or check the area office page on OSHA.gov, which lists all area offices.

Can workers trigger a programmed inspection by submitting injury data?

Not directly. Workers can file complaints that trigger unprogrammed inspections, but the programmed system runs on employer-submitted data. Still, if your establishment's 300A data shows a DART rate well above the industry average, it can land your site on the Site-Specific Targeting list. Accurate, complete recordkeeping matters both ways: under-recording and high injury rates each create risk, for different reasons.

What is the difference between a serious and a willful OSHA violation?

A serious violation means there's a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. A willful violation means the employer was actually aware the condition existed and did nothing, or acted with plain indifference to the law. Maximum penalties are $16,131 per serious violation and $161,323 per willful one. Good documentation and a corrective action history are your main protection against willful classification.

How far back can OSHA look at my injury and illness records during an inspection?

Five years, under 29 CFR 1904.33, which requires employers to keep OSHA 300 Logs, 300A Summaries, and 301 Incident Reports for five years following the end of the calendar year they cover. Officers routinely review the full five-year history during programmed inspections, especially to check whether the DART rate data that triggered the targeting was recorded accurately.

Do I need written safety programs even if I have fewer than 10 employees?

For most OSHA standards, yes. The written program requirement sits inside the specific standard, not the employer's headcount. Use chemicals covered by hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200)? You need a written hazard communication program no matter how many people you employ. Same goes for lockout/tagout, respiratory protection, and most others. Size affects penalties and some recordkeeping thresholds, but not the core written program requirements.

What is OSHA's free consultation program and does using it prevent inspections?

OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program sends trained safety consultants to small and medium businesses at no charge to identify hazards and help build compliance programs. It's completely separate from enforcement, findings are confidential, and participation does not trigger an inspection. Worksites that reach SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program) status through the program are exempt from programmed inspections for a period of time.

How do I prepare my employees for talking to an OSHA compliance officer?

Tell workers ahead of time that officers may speak with them privately and that they should answer honestly. Workers have a legal right to speak with inspectors, and telling them to lie or withhold information is both unethical and a potential criminal issue. Brief them on your safety program basics, where PPE is stored, and how to report a concern. Workers who understand your program are your best asset in any inspection.

What does 'abatement' mean in an OSHA citation and what happens if I miss the deadline?

Abatement means correcting the cited hazard. Every OSHA citation includes an abatement deadline, usually 15 to 30 days for most violations and longer for complex fixes. If you can't meet it, request an extension in writing before the deadline passes. Miss the deadline without an approved extension and you trigger failure-to-abate penalties of up to $16,131 per day, which pile up fast.

Can I use a third-party safety consultant to prepare for a programmed inspection?

Yes, and for complex operations it's often worth the cost. A consultant can run a mock inspection, find documentation gaps, update written programs, and train your point-of-contact for the opening conference. For smaller operations, OSHA's free On-Site Consultation Program covers most of the same ground at no charge. Either way, the point is acting before the officer arrives, not calling a consultant the morning of the inspection.

Sources

1. OSHA, OSH Act of 1970 full text: Section 8(a) authorizes inspection entry at reasonable times; Section 17(f) makes advance notice a criminal offense; employer and worker rights during inspections.
2. OSHA, Site-Specific Targeting program page: SST ranks establishments by DART rates from submitted 300A data; primary and secondary inspection lists; methodology guidance for the current SST plan.
3. OSHA, National Emphasis Programs page: OSHA's NEP on falls in construction targets worksites in that sector on a rolling basis.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program: BLS data identifies industries with highest fatal injury rates including logging, roofing, and truck transportation; the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses publishes annual benchmarks by NAICS code.
5. OSHA, Enforcement and emphasis programs on OSHA.gov: OSHA publishes current National Emphasis Programs and many Local Emphasis Programs, with start dates, targeted hazards, and covered NAICS codes.
6. OSHA, Field Operations Manual (FOM): The FOM governs how compliance officers conduct inspections including opening conference, walkaround procedure, and closing conference; advance notice is prohibited except in narrow circumstances; officers carry DOL identification.
7. OSHA, Recordkeeping Rule 29 CFR 1904: 29 CFR 1904.33 requires retention of OSHA 300, 300A, and 301 records for five years; 300A summaries must be posted February 1 through April 30 and certified by a company executive; records must be produced within four business hours during an inspection.
8. OSHA, Penalties page: 2024 maximum penalties: serious or other-than-serious up to $16,131; willful or repeated up to $161,323; failure to abate up to $16,131 per day; penalty reduction percentages by employer size (10 or fewer employees: 70%; 11-25: 60%; 26-100: 40%; 101-250: 20%); good faith factored into penalty calculation; 15 working days to contest or request informal conference.
9. OSHA, Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards FY2023: Hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) was the second most frequently cited OSHA standard in fiscal year 2023; fall protection, respiratory protection, and lockout/tagout also appear consistently.
10. OSHA, On-Site Consultation Program: OSHA's free On-Site Consultation Program provides confidential safety assessments to small and medium employers; participation does not trigger enforcement inspections and SHARP status confers exemption from programmed inspections.
11. OSHA, Machine Guarding standard 29 CFR 1910.212: 29 CFR 1910.212 requires guarding of machinery to protect operators from hazards such as rotating parts and points of operation; a frequent finding in manufacturing programmed inspections.
12. OSHA, Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147: 29 CFR 1910.147 requires a written energy control program with equipment-specific procedures and documented training for authorized and affected employees.