OSHA Top 10 Citations for Texas Small Businesses — By Industry

Every year OSHA publishes its list of the most frequently cited standards. For small business owners, this list is practical intelligence — it shows exactly where OSHA inspectors focus and what written programs they expect to find. This guide breaks down the national FY 2025 top 10 and maps each citation to the Texas industries most likely to receive it.

The FY 2025 Top 10 — National

1. Fall Protection — General Requirements (1926.501): 5,914 violations — #1 for 15 consecutive years
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,546 violations — applies to virtually every industry
3. Ladders (1926.1053): Construction — ladder angle, condition, extension above landing
4. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): Moved up to #4 — energy control during equipment service
5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): Written program, fit testing, SCBA/APF compliance
6. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): Forklift training, certification, pre-shift inspection
7. Scaffolding (1926.451): Moved up to #7 — fall protection, planking, access
8. Fall Protection — Training (1926.503): Written training program for fall hazards
9. Personal Protective Equipment — Eye/Face (1926.102): Eye protection provision and use
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): Point-of-operation guards, nip points, rotating parts

By Industry: What's Most Likely to Get You Cited

Construction

Fall protection citations are the single largest OSHA enforcement area in construction — 5,914 in FY 2025 alone. Any work at heights of 6 feet or more requires a fall protection system (1926.501). Scaffold violations (1926.451) and ladder violations (1926.1053) round out the top three for construction. The written safety plan requirement under 1926.20(b) is also commonly cited when a compliance officer asks for documentation during a heat or fall inspection and finds none.

Most important written programs for construction: Written Safety Plan, HazCom, Heat Illness Prevention (outdoor work), Fall Protection (if 10+ employees), LOTO (if equipment service).

Manufacturing and Fabrication

Machine guarding (1910.212) is the most distinctive manufacturing citation — it involves any machine with exposed moving parts where a worker could be caught, pinched, or struck. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) is #4 nationally and is almost universally applicable to manufacturing environments. HazCom citations are also common because of the variety of chemicals in fabrication and finishing operations.

Most important written programs for manufacturing: Written Safety Plan, HazCom with chemical inventory, LOTO written program, Machine Guarding assessment, Respiratory Protection (if welding or painting).

Lawn and Landscape

HazCom is the primary citation risk because pesticides are hazardous chemicals under 1910.1200 — and many landscape operations do not have a written HazCom program covering their pesticide inventory. Heat illness is the highest life-safety risk: Texas landscaping crews work outdoors in some of the most extreme heat conditions in the country. TDA pesticide licensing (Texas Department of Agriculture) is also a state-level compliance requirement that OSHA compliance officers may refer to other agencies.

Most important written programs for lawn and landscape: HazCom, Heat Illness Prevention Plan, Written Safety Plan (for equipment hazards including chainsaws and power equipment).

Auto Services

HazCom is again the top citation risk — solvents, refrigerants, brake fluid, battery acid, and cleaning chemicals all require SDS documentation, labeled containers, and employee training. Respiratory protection citations are common in shops where spray painting or welding occurs without adequate ventilation or a written program. LOTO violations occur when technicians service vehicles on lifts without proper energy lockout procedures.

Most important written programs for auto services: HazCom with full chemical inventory, Written Safety Plan, Respiratory Protection (if painting or welding), LOTO (vehicle lifts).

Food and Beverage

HazCom citations in food service focus on cleaning chemicals — bleach, degreasers, sanitizers. The never-mix rule (bleach + ammonia = chloramine gas) must be documented. DSHS (Texas Department of State Health Services) food handler certification requirements are a state-level compliance layer that runs parallel to OSHA. Heat illness is a risk for food truck operations and outdoor food service, particularly in Texas summers.

Most important written programs for food and beverage: HazCom, Written Safety Plan (LOTO for commercial slicers and fryers), Heat Illness Prevention (outdoor / food truck operations).

Salons and Cosmetology

HazCom citations in salons focus on formaldehyde in keratin smoothing treatments and on chemical relaxers. OSHA's formaldehyde standard (1910.1048) applies when formaldehyde levels exceed action levels. TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) governs cosmetology licensing and salon sanitation. GFCIs and electrical safety are also common inspection areas in salon environments.

Most important written programs for salons: HazCom with formaldehyde documentation, Written Safety Plan, New Employee Safety Orientation.

The Common Thread: HazCom

HazCom (1910.1200) appears in the top 3 citations for every industry listed above. It is the single most universally applicable written program for Texas small businesses. If you have one written program, it should be HazCom. If you have two, add the Written Safety Plan. If you have three, add the Heat Illness Prevention Plan for any business with outdoor workers.

What a Citation Actually Costs

A serious violation — defined as a hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm and that the employer knew or should have known about — carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation (2026). A willful or repeat violation carries up to $165,514 per violation. OSHA inspectors issue citations per standard, not per inspection, so a single inspection that finds three missing written programs generates three separate citation amounts.