OSHA increases penalties

Effective January 2, civil penalties for OSHA standards and regulations violations have increased by 2 percent to adjust for inflation. 

OSHA penalties for other-than-serious, serious and failure to abate violations increased by $319 from $12,615 per violation to $12,934 per violation. The penalty for willful and repeat violations increased from $126,749 to $129,336, an increase of $2,587.  

The new penalty increase is effective now and will apply to any citations issued now through the remainder of 2018.

The 2018 maximum penalties are as follows:

• Other-than-Serious: $12,934

• Serious: $12,934

• Repeat : $129,336

• Willful: $129,336

The penalty increase applies to Federal OSHA states, however, OSHA expects that states operating their own occupational safety and health program will align penalty structures with Federal OSHA so that such programs are equally effective as Federal OSHA, OSHA said.