Congress recently passed the budget agreement which contained a provision which permits OSHA to raise fines significantly starting in August 2016. The law permits a one-time “catch up” increase up to 82 percent, since fines have not been raised since 1990. This “catch-up” amount is tied to the inflation rate from 1990 to 2015. After that, the maximum penalties would increase with the inflation rate every year. This would have the following effect:
Citations | Current Max. | With “Catch-Up” Increase |
Other than Serious | Up to $7,000 | Up to $12,740 |
Serious | $7,000 | $12,740 |
Repeat | $5,000-$70,000 | $9,100 - $127,400 |
Willful | $5,000-$70,000 | $9,100 - $127,400 |
Failure to Abate | $7,000/day | $12,740/day |