On January 15th, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration increased their civil money penalties. Each year, OSHA adjusts the fees according to the annual rate of inflation, as per the Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015.
The increased fees apply to any penalties assessed after January 15th. If you receive a penalty now for a violation that occurred before the 15th, the 2021 rates apply.
This brings the maximum penalty amounts for serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirement violations up to $13,653 per violation, from the $13,494 2020 maximum rate. The maximum cost of willful or repeated violations is now $136,532 per violation. All but four penalties have increased with the ruling.
One of the most effective ways to avoid OSHA fines is to reinforce your safety program with robust risk management programs. NBIS offers risk management solutions that to help companies stay ahead of potential violations, with programs specific to crane and rigging, specialized transportation, and other heavy construction industries.
Find the full range of rate increases on the OSHA website. The ruling can be found here, with 2021 adjustments starting on Page 5.
