OSHA Civil Penalties Set to Increase in August

OSHA’s maximum penalty for serious violations will increase from $7,000 to $12,471. The agency’s top penalty for willful or repeated violations will jump from $70,000 to $124,709. OSHA’s maximum penalties have not increased since 1990.

“Civil penalties should be a credible deterrent that influences behavior far and wide,” Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said in a press release. “Adjusting our penalties to keep pace with the cost of living can lead to significant benefits for workers and can level the playing field [for] responsible employers who should not have to compete with those who don’t follow the law.”

OSHA's new penalty levels are scheduled to take effect after August 1, 2016. Any citations issued after this date will be subject to the new penalties if the related violations occurred after November 2, 2015. The interim final rules were announced June 30. Comments on the interim final rules will be due 45 days after the rules are published in the Federal Register. (Source: National Safety Council.)