Top Worker Safety Violation Fines Go Up by Thousands of Dollars

Maximum OSHA fines are increasing by several thousand dollars for the worst offenders, the Department of Labor announced Thursday.

The ceiling for Occupational Safety and Health Administration fines is going up 6.2% starting Jan. 15. For willful and repeat violations, the maximum goes from $136,532 to $145,027. The highest penalty for serious and other-than-serious violations grows from $13,653 to $14,502.

The increase is in line with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ yearly Consumer Price Index as of October 2021. It is the highest since Congress in 2016 allowed OSHA fines to keep pace with inflation. Prior boosts had been less ...