Generally speaking, a workplace safety violation is any preventable hazard that was not addressed in a timely and efficient manner. Should an employee injure themselves as a result of a safety violation, they have strong grounds for a legal case. 

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), some of the most commonly violated workplace safety procedures include:

1. Fall Protection: If an employee was not given proper equipment or scaffolding, and injury sustained from a fall would be considered the result of a workplace safety violation.
2. Hazard Communication: Hazardous materials and conditions should be identified and communicated to employees. When they are not and someone is injured, it is considered a safety violation.
3. Scaffolds: Sadly, the use of improper and unsafe scaffolding is common in the workplace. 
4. Respiratory Protection: It can be hazardous to breathe in harmful dust, fogs, fumes, gases, smokes, and sprays. This is an often overlooked area of workplace safety. If you do not receive proper respiratory protection in the face of hazardous materials, your employer could be held liable.
5. Machine Guarding: Heavy-duty equipment that unexpectedly starts up should have shields and protections in place. Sadly, those shields and protections are not very common.
6. Ladders: Safety standards dictate that the base of a ladder should remain clear and stable, failure to maintain these conditions is considered a safety violation.