HazCom Violations Remain Widespread
- Mar 9
- 3 min read
March 9, 2026
New analysis from Traceone finds 5.6 violations per 100,000 workers.
Where U.S. Employers Fail to Warn Workers About Chemical Dangers
Millions of U.S. workers handle, store, or work near hazardous chemicals every day—from cleaning solvents and industrial adhesives to flammable gases and corrosive substances. Without proper training, clear labeling, and accessible safety data sheets, employees may not fully understand the health risks they face, including respiratory illness, chemical burns, or fire and explosion hazards. Federal regulators and occupational health experts widely view hazard communication as a foundational component of workplace safety because it determines whether workers have the information needed to protect themselves.
To address these risks, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) in 1983. Often referred to as the “right-to-know” rule, the standard requires employers to classify chemical hazards, label containers, maintain safety data sheets, and train workers on safe handling procedures. Yet more than four decades after its adoption, HazCom remains one of OSHA’s most frequently cited workplace safety standards, indicating persistent compliance gaps across industries and regions.
To identify where U.S. employers are failing to warn workers about chemical dangers, Trace One—an SDS, regulatory compliance, and PLM software company serving the chemicals, food & beverage, and cosmetics sectors—analyzed OSHA enforcement data from 2021 through 2025. The analysis investigates which states and industries account for the most HazCom violations, as well as how these citation trends have evolved over time.
Key Findings
HazCom violations remain widespread nationwide. OSHA recorded 36,984 Hazard Communication violations from 2021–2025, equal to 5.6 violations per 100,000 workers.
Maryland leads the nation in total HazCom violations. There were 4,370 violations during the 2021–2025 period, equal to 39.0 violations per 100,000 workers, one of the highest rates in the country.
Manufacturing and construction account for half of all HazCom violations. Manufacturing recorded 10,021 violations and construction reported 8,678, together making up 50.6% of all HazCom citations nationwide during the five-year period.
Inspection rates vary significantly by industry. The construction industry is by far the most highly-inspected sector, accounting for 42.8% of all inspections.
HazCom violations have declined substantially since their peak. Citations reached 37,134 in 1989 and fell to 6,130 in 2025, declining 83.5% over that period.
Which Industries Have the Most Hazard Communication Violations?
The manufacturing and construction industries account for more than half of all HazCom violations in the U.S.
HazCom violations are heavily concentrated in a small number of industries. From 2021 to 2025, the manufacturing industry recorded 10,021 violations—the highest total of any sector—followed by the construction industry with 8,678 violations. Together, these two sectors account for 50.6% of all HazCom violations nationwide during the five-year period. The next tier of industries reported significantly lower totals, including Accommodation & Food Services (2,189 violations), Retail Trade (2,005), and Public Administration (1,756), while sectors with less frequent exposure to chemical hazards, such as Finance & Insurance (13) and Information (81), recorded comparatively few citations.
Inspection totals provide additional context. OSHA does not inspect workplaces solely on a fixed schedule. Instead, the agency prioritizes inspections based on imminent danger situations, severe injuries or fatalities, and formal complaints—many of which originate from employees or labor representatives. In addition, 22 states and jurisdictions operate OSHA-approved State Plan programs that conduct their own inspections and share enforcement data with federal OSHA.
From 2021 to 2025, OSHA conducted 150,832 inspections in construction, more than twice the 64,971 inspections in manufacturing, reflecting construction’s size and risk profile. Yet despite this heightened scrutiny, only 2.5% of construction inspections resulted in at least one HazCom violation—one of the lowest rates among major industries. By contrast, 8.8% of manufacturing inspections led to a violation, suggesting that while construction is inspected more frequently, manufacturing inspections are more likely to uncover HazCom deficiencies.
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