OSHA Raises Safety Violation Fines for 2025: What You Need to Know
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Purpose
As of January 15, 2025, OSHA has updated its penalty information to reflect the current amounts and ensure accessibility. The 2025 penalty updates supplement the details in Chapter 6 of OSHA's Field Operations Manual (FOM) and align with the adjusted amounts found in OSHA’s Information Systems (OIS).
Background
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 requires federal agencies to adjust penalties annually to keep up with inflation and maintain their effectiveness as a deterrent. This law ensures penalties are updated by January 15 each year.
For 2025, OSHA applied a cost-of-living adjustment multiplier of 1.02598, based on the Consumer Price Index for October 2024. This multiplier was used to calculate the updated penalty amounts by multiplying the previous penalty amounts and rounding to the nearest dollar. The adjustment applies consistently across all OSHA penalty categories as outlined in the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the FOM.
Maximum and Minimum Penalty Amounts
| Violation Type | Minimum Penalty | Maximum Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $1,221* per violation | $16,550 |
| Other-Than-Serious | $0 per violation | $16,550 per violation |
| Willful or Repeated | $11,823** per violation | $165,514 per violation |
| Posting Requirements | $0 per violation | $16,550 per violation |
| Failure to Abate | - | $16,550 per day for each day the issue isn't fixed after the deadline (usually capped at 30 days) |
*The $1,221 minimum penalty for serious violations includes all applicable reductions and corrects errors from previous years' posted amounts.
**For repeated violations that are normally not fined (other-than-serious), the penalties increase with each repetition: $472 for the first, $1,182 for the second, and $2,364 for the third.
2024 vs. 2025 Penalty Changes
See the below charts to see how the penalty amounts have changed from YoY per violation type.
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Gravity Based Penalty (GBP) Amounts
Gravity-Based Penalty (GBP) amounts are how OSHA decides the financial penalty for a safety violation based on how serious (or "severe") and likely (or "probable") the risk is.
The seriousness of a violation is measured by its Gravity-Based Penalty (GBP):
High gravity violation: $16,550
Moderate gravity violation: $9,457–$14,187
Low gravity violation: $7,093
For serious violations, the GBP is determined using this formula: Severity + Probability = GBP
| Severity | Probability | GBP | Gravity | OIS/Gravity Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Greater | $16,550 | High | 10 |
| Medium | Greater | $14,187 | Moderate | 5 |
| Low | Greater | $11,823 | Moderate | 5 |
| High | Lesser | $11,823 | Moderate | 5 |
| Medium | Lesser | $9,457 | Moderate | 5 |
| Low | Lesser | $7,093 | Low | 1 |
For 'Other-Than-Serious' violations (less severe), only minimal penalties are typically assigned. However, if the Area Director determines a stronger deterrent is needed, the penalty can be as high as $16,550.
In short, the more dangerous and likely the violation, the higher the penalty.
Serious or Willful Penalty Reductions
OSHA reduces penalties for serious willful violations based on the size of the company. Smaller companies get larger reductions, while larger companies get smaller or no reductions.
How it works:
| # of Employees | Percent Reduction |
|---|---|
| 10 or less | 80% |
| 11-20 | 60% |
| 21-30 | 50% |
| 31-40 | 40% |
| 41-50 | 30% |
| 51-100 | 20% |
| 101-250 | 10% |
| 251+ | 0% |
Ensure Compliance with Kattsafe's Fall Protection Solutions
At Kattsafe, we’re dedicated to helping you meet OSHA’s updated standards with reliable, compliant fall protection & height access products. Our solutions are designed to meet and exceed OSHA compliance and keep your workplace safe.
As penalty adjustments take effect, now is the time to ensure your safety systems meet the latest requirements. Let our team guide you in finding the right products to reduce risks and maintain compliance.
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