Top 10 OSHA Violations [Updated for 2026]

Every year, OSHA shares its top ten most-cited violations. The most common violations rarely change, but they do change position.

For example, forklift safety violations dropped to ninth place in 2021. But by 2023, forklift violations jumped back into fifth place.

As we’ll explain in the article below, the most common forklift violations are very very easy to prevent. But first, here's the top 10 list:

Top 10 OSHA Violations

NOTE: Forklifts are classified by OSHA as “powered industrial trucks.”

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Top 10 OSHA Citations for 2025

1. Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501): 6992 violations
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3010 violations
3. Ladders (1926.1053): 2842 violations
4. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2562 violations
5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2294 violations
6. Scaffolding (1926.451): 2286 violations
7. Fall Protection Training (1926.503): 2216 violations
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2150 violations
9. Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1965 violations
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1498 violations

Industries With the Most OSHA Forklift Penalties and Citations

Manufacturing operations had the highest number of inspections, but Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction received the heaviest penalties. Note: penalty amounts include any settlement action adjustments that may have taken place.

Manufacturing 

• 677 Inspections 
• 966 Citations
• $2,717,988 Penalties
• Average penalty per citation $2813

Transportation and Warehousing

• 219 Inspections
• 322 Citations
• $1,289,505 Penalties
• Average penalty per citation $4004

Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction

• 9 Inspections
• 16 Citations
• $76,865 Penalties
• Average penalty per citation $4804

As you can see from the stats above, one inspection can generate multiple forklift-related citations. OSHA's maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations are $16,550 per violation in 2026. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations is $165,514 per violation.

Notable Changes

For those of you keeping track at home, forklift violations dropped from 7th place in 2024 to 8th place in 2025, swapping places with Fall Protection Training.

• This is largely because Fall Protection Training violations were up 10%.
• Forklift violations decreased about 4% (98 fewer violations year over year).

One could argue: any decrease in violations is something to celebrate (and it is). But collectively, we still have work to do. There are hundreds of OSHA standards, and no good reason Powered Industrial Trucks should be in the top 10 list year after year.

The 3 Most Common OSHA Forklift Violations

The most common OSHA forklift safety violations are:

1. Unsafe operation
2. Failure to provide refresher training 
3. Missing/inadequate operator certification

Southern States Toyotalift (SST) makes it easy to avoid all three. We can provide forklift certifications using your equipment at your facility and provide refresher training. We’ll customize the program to your work environment and schedule training whenever it's convenient, including nights or weekends. Learn more and view pricing for on-site forklift training.

We also offer free forklift inspection checklists for electric and IC forklifts, pallet trucks and more. Checklists are available in both English and Spanish.

Safety Is No Accident
Contact us online, by phone at (800) 226-2345, or in person at one of our nine locations. We're happy to answer any forklift or warehouse safety questions you may have.

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Winter Park

GEORGIA
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Related Reading

7 Ways Your Warehouse Probably Isn’t OSHA-Compliant
Warehouse Safety Tips: Pedestrian Safety
Loading Dock Safety: How To Ensure Your Dock Leveler Saves Lives
4 Reasons to Ditch Your Ladders and Use a Low-Level Access Lift
How to Create a Culture of Safety