The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has adjusted their penalty amounts last month by 2% to reflect current inflation rates.

Beginning January 2, 2018, OSHA has set the following civil penalty amounts for these violations:

Serious/Other-Than-Serious/Posting Requirements = $12,934 per violation

Failure to Abate = $12,934 per day beyond the abatement date

Willful or Repeated = $129,336 per violation

This increase reflects legislation passed by Congress in 2015, allowing “agencies to adjust their penalties for inflation each year using a much more straightforward method than previously available, and requires agencies to publish "catch up" rules [in the summer of 2016] to make up for lost time since the last adjustments.”

For more on the 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act, see OSHA’s FAQs here.

EHS Today offers the following strategies to help employers avoid OSHA fines, including:

Empower Employees: Develop a culture where employees are encouraged to speak up, without fear of retribution, about potential safety hazards and concerns. Provide a way for staff to anonymously report potentially hazardous situations. Conduct regular safety checks, using a record-keeping system like a mobile form for real-time accountability. Implement training programs.

Embrace Technology: Save time and money by relying on mobile solutions. Mobile users can access inspection checklists, best practices, emergency management, safety information and more. A real-time flow of communication empowers companies to act on non-compliance issues, and provides a documented date and time-stamped inspection.

Be Prepared: Have a plan in place and prepare everyone in your organization for a potential inspection. Practice mock interviews and conduct regular “surprise” inspections.

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