The year 2020 saw a shift in safety management practices as employers integrated enhanced measures to protect workers from COVID-19.

Other workplace hazards remained, causing companies to overhaul their safety programs to keep employees safe.

"Throughout the pandemic workplace safety has become more important than ever,” said Lorraine Martin, National Safety Council (NSC) president and CEO, in a statement.

Each year, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) releases its top 10 most cited safety violations at the National Safety Congress & Expo.

“Although incredible advancements are made in safety each year, the OSHA Top 10 list reminds us that we must continue to pinpoint areas where we can improve so we can better prioritize workplace safety in the future world of work," Martin said.

Employers saw an increase in respiratory protection (1910.134) violations in fiscal year 2021, while other citations such as those involving hazard communication (1910.1200) and powered industrial trucks (1910.178) dropped.

SWANA CEO David Biderman pointed to the top three safety issues facing the waste and recycling industry: musculoskeletal issues; slips, trips and falls; and struck-by or fall-off vehicle incidents. The organization's research into accident data revealed a "substantial" number of fatalities involving workers falling off trucks.

While these issues have the industry's focus, here are the most common violations employers throughout the United States received in FY 2021.