Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Trace One.
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, researchers at Trace One analyzed OSHA enforcement data from 2021 through 2025. Learn more about the methodology at the end.
Here are the states with the most HazCom violations.
10. Vermont
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 11.2
- Total HazCom violations: 141
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 10.6%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $164,855
- Most common HazCom violation: No written safety plan
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Manufacturing
9. Kansas
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 13.9
- Total HazCom violations: 817
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 11.5%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $1,373,306
- Most common HazCom violation: No written safety plan
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Construction
8. Maine
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 14.7
- Total HazCom violations: 402
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 12.9%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $691,072
- Most common HazCom violation: No written safety plan
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Manufacturing
7. Hawaii
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 18.4
- Total HazCom violations: 463
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 10.2%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $264,985
- Most common HazCom violation: Inaccessible Safety Data Sheets
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Accommodation and Food Services
6. Connecticut
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 19.2
- Total HazCom violations: 1,393
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 13.4%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $482,962
- Most common HazCom violation: Missing chemical safety training
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Construction
5. Oregon
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 21.5
- Total HazCom violations: 1,782
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 6.2%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $355,711
- Most common HazCom violation: No written safety plan
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Other Services
4. Tennessee
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 22.2
- Total HazCom violations: 3,159
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 21.6%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $641,782
- Most common HazCom violation: No written safety plan
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Manufacturing
3. Delaware
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 26.5
- Total HazCom violations: 542
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 17.2%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $761,460
- Most common HazCom violation: Missing chemical safety training
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Construction
2. Maryland
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 39.0
- Total HazCom violations: 4,370
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 20.7%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $1,019,154
- Most common HazCom violation: Missing chemical safety training
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Construction
1. Alaska
- HazCom violations per 100k workers: 44.7
- Total HazCom violations: 553
- Share of inspections with a HazCom violation: 11.1%
- Total HazCom violation penalties: $639,068
- Most common HazCom violation: Missing chemical safety training
- Most common industry for HazCom violations: Health Care and Social Assistance
Methodology
The data used in this study is from OSHA’s Enforcement Data and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics.
To determine the states where U.S. employers most frequently fail to warn their workers about chemical dangers, researchers at Trace One analyzed and ranked states based on their total HazCom violations per 100,000 workers from 2021 through 2025.
Violations were considered to be HazCom-related if the enforcement record referenced OSHA’s 1910.1200 standard and any of its subsections.
For additional context, the total HazCom violations, share of inspections with a HazCom violation, total HazCom violation penalties, the most common HazCom violation, and the most common industry for HazCom violations were calculated for each state.
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