The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced an interim rule recently that raises existing maximum civil penalties by 78%.
The action was taken to comply with a federally mandated rate increase. As a result, OSHA will raise the maximum penalty for serious violations from $7,000 to $12,471 and will increase the fine for willful and repeated violations from $70,000 to $124,709.
OSHA capped its new penalty amounts at 150% of their current levels. The higher fines will go into effect Aug. 1 for infractions occurring after Nov. 2, 2015.
The requirement that OSHA raise the amount of its penalties is part of the 2016 federal budget bill that mandates the agency align penalty amounts with the Consumer Price Index. It is the first increase since 1990. OSHA will accept public comments for 45 days before issuing its final rule.
Related Stories
| Feb 9, 2012
Webinar focuses on lessons learned from LEED-certified industrial project
A Construction Specifications Institute webinar will focus on the lessons learned through the design and construction of a LEED-certified industrial project, Better Living Mill Shop, the first industrial building in Central Virginia to earn LEED certification.
| Feb 8, 2012
California likely to eliminate redevelopment agencies
Leaders of California cities had been trying to fashion a compromise with lawmakers after the state Supreme Court ruled the state had the authority to eliminate the agencies and use their property tax money for local services.
| Feb 8, 2012
Project aimed at economical seismic retrofits on historic Memphis structures
The group will develop a low-cost seismic retrofit model that would benefit aging brick-and-mortar structures. It involves bolting steel brackets to existing wooden floor and ceiling joists.
| Feb 8, 2012
Houston signs on to Better Buildings Challenge
The challenge has about $4 billion in federal and private-sector funds, which it will use for building energy upgrades nationwide in the next two years.
| Feb 8, 2012
OSHA offers free health and safety consulting for small businesses
The consultants offer confidential, non-punitive advice.
| Feb 8, 2012
Controversy over pay for prisoners on roofing job in Michigan
The disagreement was over whether the prisoners should have been paid prevailing wage for their brief time on the job because the project was paid for with a U.S. Department of Energy grant.
| Jan 30, 2012
ZigBee and ISO 50001: Two new standards to make buildings greener
These developments demonstrate the dynamic nature of the market and the continued need for development of program standards of many different types that help builders and owners translate high performance and sustainable buildings goals into practical measures on the ground.
| Jan 30, 2012
New firm-fixed-price rules on federal contracts impact construction industry
Contractors will need to be on the lookout for policies such as the Contractor Accountability for Quality clause.
