OSHA Penalties for Health and Safety Violations Increased

Posted on 1/14/2022 by Roger Marks

Effective January 14, 2022, OSHA has increased civil penalties for workplace health and safety violations to keep pace with inflation.

A maximum civil penalty of $14,502 applies to serious violations, non-serious violations, failure to correct violations, and failure to post required information for employees.
For a willful or repeated violation of OSHA workplace safety standards, the maximum civil penalty is now $145,027. The minimum penalty increased to $10,360.

OSHA assigns different penalty amounts to violations of different kinds. Below are the adjusted civil penalties for violations occurring after November 2, 2015 for which OSHA assesses penalties after January 14, 2022.

Type of OSHA violation	Min. Penalty	Max Penalty	29 CFR 1903.15...
Willful violation	$10,360	$145,027	(d)(1)
Repeat violation	NA	$145,027	(d)(2)
Serious violation	NA	$14,502	(d)(3)
Other than serious violation	NA	$14,502	(d)(4)
Failure to abate	NA	$14,502	(d)(5)
OSHA posting requirement	NA	$14,502	(d)(6)

Typically, OSHA does not issue citations for de minimis violations. A de minimis violation is one that has no direct or immediate impact on safety and health. Minor recordkeeping variations and minor inspection irregularities are potential examples of de minimis violations.

OSHA Penalties for Health and Safety Violations Increased

The 10 Most-Cited OSHA Standards

OSHA released its latest Top 10 list in October 2021. For general industry workplaces, the most commonly cited health and safety Standards last year included hazard communication, machine guarding, forklift safety, lockout/tagout, and respiratory protection.

Read more: Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2021

Online Safety Training to Avoid Violations

Check out Lion.com/OSHA to find safety training to inform and protect your workforce. From 10-hour training for general industry workers to HazCom, HAZWOPER, and more, Lion offers online safety training that is informative and easy-to-use.

Hazard Communication
Respiratory Protection
Forklift Safety
Lockout/Tagout

View more online safety training options at Lion.com/OSHA.

Tags: fines and penalties, osha, safety training, workplace safety

Find a Post

Search for:

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

Lion is at the top of the industry in compliance training. Course content and structure are updated frequently to make annual re-training enjoyable. I like that Lion has experts that I can contact for 1 year after the training.

Caroline Froning

Plant Chemist

As always, Lion never disappoints

Paul Resley

Environmental Coordinator

Excellent. I learned more in two days with Lion than at a 5-day program I took with another provider.

Francisco Gallardo

HES Technician

The instructor was probably the best I ever had! He made the class enjoyable, was humorous at times, and very knowledgeable.

Mary Sue Michon

Environmental Administrator

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

The instructor made the class enjoyable. He presented in a very knowledgeable, personable manner. Best class I've ever attended. Will take one again.

John Nekoloff

Environmental Compliance Manager

The exercises in the DOT hazardous materials management course are especially helpful in evaluating your understanding of course information.

Morgan Bliss

Principal Industrial Hygienist

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

The instructor was very knowledgeable and provided pertinent information above and beyond the questions that were asked.

Johnny Barton

Logistics Coordinator

I love that the instructor emphasized the thought process behind the regs.

Rebecca Saxena

Corporate Product Stewardship Specialist

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

The definitive 10-step guide for new hazardous materials shipping managers. Quickly reference the major considerations and details that impact hazmat shipping compliance.

Download

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.