At the National Safety Council 2019 Congress and Expo held in September, OSHA released a preliminary list of the top 10 most commonly cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2019. Employers in Arizona should know that these 10 offenses composed a total of 26,915 violations and that many of these violations were committed by manufacturing companies.

At the top of the list is the failure to follow general requirements for fall protection. In second place were violations concerning hazard communication, followed by lockout-tagout, respiratory protection, ladder and powered industrial truck violations. The list ended with machine guarding violations and the failure to provide adequate eye and face protection.

The manufacturing industry may have improved in some ways, but it remains dangerous. Workers in this field have to contend with heat and extremely heavy equipment, and the repetitiveness of some work can lead to repetitive motion injuries.

In September 2019, OSHA cited a manufacturing facility in Mississippi for not protecting employees against struck-by and fall hazards. One employee was killed as a result of this negligence. When it comes to non-fatal occupational injuries, the manufacturing industry has the second highest numbers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Most employers carry workers’ compensation insurance, so those who are injured on the job may be able to file for benefits under workers’ compensation law. These benefits can be paid out regardless of who, if anyone, was to blame for the incident. They provide wage replacement and cover medical expenses as well as any short- or long-term disability leave. Victims may want a lawyer to assist with the filing since employers still have the right to deny payment. A lawyer may help mount an appeal.