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Federal safety agency announces 2.6% jump in fines for violations

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Now you have another reason to make sure your crew members abide by safety regulations.

What’s going on: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) just announced an increase in penalties for safety violations.

The change is mandated under the Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015, which requires federal agencies to increase their fines based on a formula linked to the consumer price index. For this year, the formula specifies a 2.6% increase in penalties.

As a result, the fine for a serious violation of an OSHA regulation has increased to $16,550 from $16,131. And the penalty for a willful or a repeat violation of safety rules has gone to $165,514 from $161,323.

The increased fines are effective for all citations issued after Jan. 15, 2025.

Note: State safety agencies are required to increase their penalties to align with the changes just made by OSHA.

(From the January 27, 2025, issue of Safety Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)