The Road to Safety: Managing Fleet & Mobile Worker Risk in 2025

Every year, [OSHA](https://www.osha.gov/) releases its most cited workplace violations, and every year, safety pros everywhere groan because we already know what’s coming: fall protection, hazard communication, ladders… again?!

Look, it’s easy to poke fun at the repeat offenders, but there’s a reason these violations keep showing up. They’re either hard to control, easy to overlook, or—let’s be honest—often deprioritized when budgets or production schedules tighten up.

So here’s the 2025 Top 10 list, but with a twist: for each violation, we’re giving you not just the what—but the how you can stay ahead using the Safety Knights community and tools.

1. Fall Protection (General Requirements)

Falls remain OSHA’s top-cited violation because simple oversights—like missing guardrails or improper planning—can lead to devastating accidents.

OSHA Standard 1926.501: Duty to Have Fall Protection

Why it’s #1: Still the top violation year after year. Unprotected edges, untrained workers, and poor planning are the usual suspects.

How Safety Knights Helps: Our community regularly shares real-world fall protection plans, supplier reviews, and even near-miss stories so you can see what works (and what almost didn’t). We have shared info on fall protection inspection apps and training tools vetted by safety pros.

2. Hazard Communication

Many companies still struggle to manage chemical hazards, labeling, and training consistently, especially with new hires or contractors.

OSHA Standard 1910.1200: Hazard Communication

Why it’s #2: Chemical labels, SDS access, and training often get missed—especially during onboarding or when contractors come on-site.

How Safety Knights Helps: We’ve got templates, SDS software reviews, and peers willing to gut-check your HazCom program. Want to know which SDS management tools suck and which actually help? Just ask the community.

3. Ladders

Unsafe ladder use continues to cause preventable injuries, often because inspections are skipped or ladders are stored and used incorrectly.

OSHA Standard 1926.1053: Ladders

Why it’s #3: Workers still use the top step. Ladders still get stored outside. And inspections? Rarely documented.

How Safety Knights Helps: Our members have posted checklists, shared inspection photos, and debated which ladders survive harsh environments. Got a weird ladder setup? Drop a pic—someone’s seen worse.

4. Scaffolding

Improper setup and missing safety measures make scaffolding one of the riskiest areas on construction sites year after year.

OSHA Standard 1926.451: General Requirements for Scaffolds

Why it’s #4: Improper planking, inadequate access, and missing guardrails. Oh, and training that’s often just “watch this video.”

How Safety Knights Helps: We surface vendor reviews for competent person training providers and even mock-up scaffolding inspection workflows in our forums. You’ll never be alone figuring out safe tie-off anchorage.

5. Powered Industrial Trucks

Forklifts and other powered trucks lead to serious safety lapses when operators skip inspections or lack proper training.

OSHA Standard 1910.178: Powered Industrial Trucks (e.g., forklifts)

Why it’s #5: Forklift operators skip pre-use inspections, get insufficient recertification, or drive like they’re in Fast & Furious.

How Safety Knights Helps: Want a battle-tested PIT training vendor? We’ve reviewed them. Looking for inspection checklists that actually get used? We’ve got PDFs, app links, and advice from pros who live in the warehouse.

6. Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)

Energy control procedures frequently fail due to missing documentation, unclear steps, or untrained temporary workers.

OSHA Standard 1910.147: The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Why it’s #6: Inconsistent procedures and lack of verification steps are common. Temporary workers often get missed entirely.

How Safety Knights Helps: We host real LOTO program reviews (yes, with names redacted). Safety Knights helps make compliance sustainable, not just check-the-box.

7. Respiratory Protection

Respiratory programs often fall short when fit testing, medical evaluations, or written procedures are neglected.

OSHA Standard 1910.134: Respiratory Protection

Why it’s #7: Medical evaluations, fit tests, and written programs fall through the cracks, especially when you onboard fast.

How Safety Knights Helps: AI integrations can help auto-schedule fit testing reminders, and our network’s shared documents show what a compliant program actually looks like. It’s not just about having the right mask—it’s about maintaining the right program.

8. Fall Protection (Training)

Even with proper gear available, many workers still aren’t trained to use fall protection correctly, leaving teams exposed to violations.

OSHA Standard 1926.503: Fall Protection Training Requirements

Why it’s #8: Fall protection equipment may be there—but if your people aren’t trained to use it, you’re still out of compliance.

How Safety Knights Helps: Members have shared everything from bite-sized toolbox talks to full-blown training decks. You’ll find links to free and paid courses, plus feedback on which ones are actually engaging.

9. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Eye and Face Protection

The wrong PPE—or no PPE at all—leads to avoidable eye and face injuries, often because of poor fit, fogging, or missing assessments.

OSHA Standard 1926.102: Eye and Face Protection

Why it’s #9: The wrong PPE for the task, no documented hazard assessments, and eyewear that fogs up and gets ditched mid-shift.

How Safety Knights Helps: Want PPE that workers actually wear? We crowdsource gear reviews based on durability, comfort, and compliance. And yes, we have fog-free options that don’t suck.

10. Machine Guarding

Removing or ignoring machine guards to save time continues to create serious hazards and costly OSHA citations.

OSHA Standard 1910.212: General Requirements for All Machines

Why it’s #10: Missing guards, DIY fixes, or worse—guards intentionally removed to “make things faster.”

How Safety Knights Helps: We’ve seen it all—and we share it all. From real photos of non-compliant setups to advice on retrofitting guards with minimal downtime, Safety Knights connects you with those who’ve been there.

Final Thought: Safety Isn’t Solo Work

You can be the best safety pro in the world—but if you’re isolated, under-resourced, and stretched too thin, even you can miss a ladder crack or a missed LOTO step. That’s why Safety Knights exists.

We’re not just a community—we’re your sounding board, your resource hub, your digital safety net.

Want to prevent these violations before OSHA shows up? Join Safety Knights and get access to: - Peer-reviewed EHS software & tech - Real-world compliance hacks - Templates, training decks, and more

Because safety pros shouldn’t have to figure it all out alone.

Sources:

OSHA Top 10 Violations (2025) - EHS Today: https://www.ehstoday.com/

OSHA Standards Index: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/

OSHA Enforcement Newsroom: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/