“Looks Like An OSHA Violation But OK”: 50 Examples Of Ridiculous Work Safety (Best Of All Time)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, exists “to assure America's workers have safe and healthful working conditions free from unlawful retaliation,” according to their website. But a quick visit to the OSHA subreddit will show you that plenty of people’s primary concern is not workplace safety. In fact, it seems like lots of employees go out of their way to put themselves in danger while on the job!

Despite the fact that OSHA is an American organization, this online community welcomes safety violations from all over the world. And there are certainly some interesting ones! While the first industries that might come to mind when you consider workplace safety are construction sites and warehouses, this subreddit proves that any work environment can become dangerous with dedication to ignoring the rules. Or having no rules in the first place!    

Depending on where you work, the most common injuries in your office might be sore wrists from typing all day or back pain from sitting at a desk for too long. But if you’re curious what the most common OSHA violations are, VelocityEHS has compiled a list of the most frequently cited standards in 2023. At the top of the list comes the general requirements for fall protection, which were apparently violated over 7,200 times.

Hazard communication is another important area where many employees ignore OSHA’s regulations. This standard was cited 3,213 times last year. Ladders and scaffolding are often abused by workers as well, as the standards for both were violated nearly 3,000 each. When it comes to powered industrial trucks and lockout/tagout standards, workers broke the rules over 2,500 for both.

There are plenty of workplaces that put employees’ lungs in danger as well, and according to VelocityEHS, respiratory protection rules were broken over 2,400 times last year. Fall protection is another important aspect of safety that many employees need to be reminded of, as the training requirements for fall protection were violated over 2,100 times in 2023. Over 2,000 employees also were caught not wearing proper personal protective and lifesaving equipment, specifically over their faces and eyes. And 1,644 workers violated OSHA’s machine guarding regulations. 

Thankfully, injuries don’t result from every single instance of employees ignoring safety rules. But risking health and safety to cut corners still isn’t worth it. The National Safety Council reports that the top three occupational injuries employees in the United States suffer that lead to needing days off are exposure to harmful substances or environments, overexertion, and falls, slips and trips. After that, common injuries and exposures include contact with objects and equipment, violence and injuries by other persons or animals, transportation injuries, non-classifiable injuries, and fires and explosions. 

As hilarious as the photos on this list may be, it’s important to remember that workplace safety is no laughing matter. According to SafetyIQ, having a safe working environment is crucial because it increases productivity, lowers the risk of accidents, prevents fatalities and reduces safety costs and inconveniences. And of course, it’s required by law for employers to enforce safety regulations.   

The National Safety Council reports that, in 2022, the total cost of workplace injuries was a whopping $167 billion. This breaks down to $1,040 per worker, $1.39 million per death and $40,000 per injury that required a medical consultation. And when it comes to how many days of work were lost due to injuries in 2022, the grand total was 108 million. 75 million of those days were lost due to injuries that occurred during that year, while 33 million were thanks to injuries that had happened in years prior. And it’s estimated that 60 million more days will be lost in the future due to the injuries of 2022.  

So how can we create safer working environments to prevent accidents, keep productivity high and ensure that employees are well taken care of? SafetyIQ notes that the first step is understanding and detecting workplace hazards. Identifying risks ahead of time is how we can prevent people from getting hurt in the first place. It’s also key to promote a culture of safety in the workplace. Encourage employees to use safe practices and to frequently familiarize themselves with health and safety regulations.

Another important aspect when it comes to cultivating a safe working environment is making sure employees receive thorough training as soon as they start. Studies show that new hires are the most likely to have accidents while on the job, so it’s crucial that they’re informed of dangers in the workplace and educated on how to avoid them. Nobody should ever have to risk their life or risk losing a limb just to earn a paycheck.

We hope you’re enjoying these photos of what not to do at work, pandas. Keep upvoting the ones you find most hilarious, and let us know in the comments below if you’ve ever witnessed any questionable behavior like this while on the job. Then, if you want to check out even more examples of stupidity in the workplace, we think you’ll love this Bored Panda piece too!