OSHA penalties increase in 2020
With the new year comes new maximum penalty amounts for safety violations leveled by OSHA, due to an annual adjustment for inflation.
Here are the maximum penalty amounts that may now be assessed by the agency (as of Jan. 15, 2020.)
|
Type of Violation |
2020 Penalty Amount |
|
Serious |
$13,494 per violation |
|
Failure to Abate |
$13,494 per day beyond the abatement date |
|
Willful or Repeated |
$134,937 per violation |
States that operate their own Occupational Safety and Health Plans are required to adopt maximum penalty levels that are at least as effective as Federal OSHA's.
Click here for more information: OSHA Memo, Jan 10, 2020.
Avoiding those penalties
OSHA offers a variety of options for employers looking for compliance assistance, such as the On-Site Consultation Program, which provides individualized assistance to small businesses at no cost.
Additionally, the agency has compliance assistance specialists in most of its 85 Area Offices across the nation who provide robust outreach and education programs for employers and workers. For more information, please contact the Regional or Area Office nearest you.
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