Accessibility Tools

Skip to main content

OSHA ALERT: Happy New Year - OSHA Penalties Increase

Written on .

Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Labor raised Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties by 2%.  In a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 (Vol. 83, No. 1).  DOL said it was increasing 2018 penalties to comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act), which requires certain divisions of DOL to keep monetary civil fines in step with the rate of inflation. The modifications must be made by Jan. 15 of each year. 

The maximum OSHA penalties now will be $12,934 for other-than-serious and serious violations, and $129,336 for repeat and willful violations. State OSHA programs are likely to follow suit and raise their fines as well. 

This is a very modest increase compared with other recent penalty hikes.  In August 2016, DOL raised OSHA fines by 78%, the first increase since 1990. That change was mandated by the 2016 budget bill, which required the agency to bring its penalty levels in line with the Consumer Price Index and be adjusted accordingly every year thereafter.

The prospect of higher fines, by itself, is unlikely to affect employer behavior, although it does emphasize the value of compliance.

Happy New Year from OSHA!

Questions?  Need more information?  Call Larry Stine at (404)365-0900.

Related Content

Get Email Updates

Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below.

Recent Content

Jacmel Bay, Haiti
A federal judge in the Eastern District of New York has ruled on a motion for partial summary judgment that the Department of Homeland Secu…
in loving memory memorial, outdoors
With great sadness, we announce that our esteemed colleague and friend, Mark Allen Waschak, departed this life on June 27, 2025.  He was…
heat visual
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it is moving forward on a public hearing over the Biden-Era he…
racial equality, printed, typewriter
In an extremely important development, on April 23, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order declaring:  “It is the policy of the Un…
checkmark
E-Verify+ is a new tool that streamlines the employment eligibility verification process for employers and new hires. 
colored paint patterns
Guidance from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued on March 19, 2025…