By James L. Curtis, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: The DOL has published its 2018 OSHA civil penalties.
We had blogged previously about the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2017 adjustments to the maximum civil penalty dollar amounts for OSHA violations. The DOL has now finalized the 2018 inflation adjustments which will nudge the penalties even higher. 83 Fed. Reg. 7 (Jan. 2, 2018).
Under the 2018 rule, the maximum OSHA civil penalties will be:
| 2017 Penalties | 2018 Penalties | |
| Other than Serious violations: | $12,675 | $12,934 |
| Serious violations: | $12,675 | $12,934 |
| Repeat violations: | $126,749 | $129,336 |
| Willful violations: | $126,749 | $129,336 |
| Failure to abate (per day): | $12,675 | $12,934 |
The new OSHA penalty amounts are applicable to OSHA citations issued after January 12, 2018, whose associated violations occurred within the six month statute of limitations.
Going forward, DOL is required to adjust maximum OSHA penalties for inflation by January 15 of each new year.
For more information on this or any related topic please contact the authors, your Seyfarth attorney, or any member of the Workplace Safety and Health (OSHA/MSHA) Team.