What Would an OSHA Violation Cost Your Company?

OSHA calculates penalties based on four factors: gravity (how severe is the hazard and how likely is injury); good faith (does the employer have a written safety program and documented training); size (employers with 25 or fewer workers get up to 70% penalty reduction); and history (no serious violations in the past 5 years earns a 20% reduction). A contractor with all four factors working in their favor can see a $16,550 serious citation drop to roughly $1,700.

Yes. You can negotiate with OSHA through the informal settlement process — most employers who contest citations settle for 20–50% less than the original amount. You can also formally contest citations through the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). Immediately correcting the hazard earns a 15% reduction at settlement. Having a written safety program and documented training is the strongest leverage you have in settlement negotiations.

A serious violation means OSHA found a hazard where an accident could cause death or serious physical harm, and the employer knew (or should have known) about it. Maximum penalty: $16,550 per citation. A willful violation means the employer intentionally disregarded OSHA requirements — either knew the rule existed and ignored it, or showed plain indifference to worker safety. Maximum penalty: $165,514 per citation. Repeat violations (same standard cited within 5 years) carry the same willful maximum. Criminal penalties can apply to willful violations that cause a worker death.

It depends on your state. Oregon has the highest willful-violation maximum in the country ($250,000 under SB 592, 2023) and a mandatory minimum of $1,116 for serious violations. California's serious maximum is $25,000 — 50% higher than federal. Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana all have lower maximums than federal OSHA — around $7,000 serious. States like Washington, Alaska, and Wyoming mirror federal levels exactly. Use the calculator above to see your state's current numbers.

Failure to abate is treated as a new, ongoing violation. OSHA can assess up to $16,550 per day for every day the hazard continues past the abatement deadline. On a 30-day failure to abate, that's potentially $496,500. Beyond the daily penalties, unabated hazards convert to willful violations if OSHA returns and finds them still uncorrected — triggering the $165,514 maximum plus potential criminal referral if a worker is seriously injured or killed.