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Identifying hazards

A workplace hazard is anything that can put your employees’ safety and health at risk. When an employee is hurt on the job, a hazard is likely involved. Eliminate or control the hazard and you eliminate or reduce the risk of injury. Identifying hazards is something that you and all your employees can do.

Require employees to immediately report hazards to you or someone else who can act on the report. Employees who report hazards also need to know about when and how the hazards will be fixed.

Our compliance officers are looking for hazards, too. Our safety and health rules are intended to prevent hazards, but it is a curious fact that the most-violated rules tend to be cited year in and year out. Paying attention to the requirements in Oregon OSHA’s top 10 safety and health violations could go a long way toward keeping your workplace safe.

Oregon OSHA's top 10 safety violations for 2018
Rank Rule Description
1 437-003-1501(1) Fall protection
2 437-001-0765(13) Documentation of safety committee meetings
3 437-001-0765(1) Rules about safety committees or safety meetings
4 1926.1053(b)
Requirements for use of ladders
5 437-003-0503(2) Certification of fall-protection training
6 437-001-0760(1) Employers' responsibilities
7 1910.1200(e) Written hazard communication program
8 1910.178(l) Training for operators of powered industrial trucks
9 437-003-0503(1) Fall protection training program
10 1910.147(c) Control of hazardous energy - general requirements

Oregon OSHA's top 10 health violations for 2018
Rank Rule Description
1 1910.1200(e) Written hazard communication program
2 1910.1200(h) Employee information and training
3 1910.1200(g) Material safety data sheets
4 437-001-0765(1) Rules about safety committees or safety meetings
5 1910.134(c) Respiratory protection program
6 1910.1030(c) Bloodborne pathogens - exposure control requirements
7 1910.1200(f) Labels and other forms of warning
8 437-001-0765(11) Frequency of safety meetings dependent on type of work done
9 437-002-0161(5)
Emergency eyewash and shower facilities
10 1910.134(e) Requirements on the selection of respiratory protection

Use this Top 25 violations report to find the most frequently cited rules in your industry.

Our publication, The Foundation of a Safe Workplace, also tells you what you and your employees can do to identify hazards.