BE PREPARED
Citations
If your facility receives citations from OSHA, you should:
• Post the citation. Post citations in all areas in which the violation occurred. The citations must be posted for three working days or until the violation has been corrected, whichever is later.
• Notify your legal counsel. Immediately notify the company’ s legal counsel about the citation and send a copy of the citation to them.
Employers can present defenses to citations, and OSHA may agree to withdraw some citations or lower the penalty.
VIOLATION CLASSIFICATIONS AND PENALTY AMOUNTS OF OSHA CITATIONS
VIOLATION DESCRIPTION
MAXIMUM PENALTY
De Minimis
Violation based on technical standards and does not involve any threat to the safety and health of employees.
Typically, doesn’ t carry any penalty.
Other Than Serious
Classified as unlikely to cause serious physical harm or death.
$ 14,502 per violation
Serious
Hazards that could cause serious bodily harm or death.
$ 14,502 per violation
Willful
The employer committed the violation knowingly or with indifference.
$ 145,027 per violation
Repeated
A hazard of a same or similar standard that the employer was aware of before, received a citation for, and has not mitigated.
$ 145,027 per violation
Criminal
A violation that caused a death and was willful in nature. A violation of this nature is punishable by a misdemeanor conviction and a significant monetary penalty.
Maximum Penalty: Not more than $ 250,00 for an individual or $ 500,000 for an organization and up to six months in jail.
28 • SpectrumInsGroup. com