Penalties for safety violations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have increased in 2025.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces safety regulations and sets civil penalties for violations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. If OSHA inspects your business and finds a violation, it will assign a penalty. OSHA can reduce penalties for smaller businesses or employers’ good faith efforts.
2025 OSHA civil penalty minimums and maximums
OSHA assigns a violation type and penalty for each safety infraction. There is no limit to the number of violations OSHA can cite during an inspection.
| Violation type | Violation definition | 2025 minimum per violation | 2025 maximum per violation |
| Failure to abate | The employer fails to correct the safety violations listed on the OSHA notice by the abatement date assigned for each violation. | N/A | $16,550 per day |
| Other than serious | The violation directly relates to job safety and health but isn’t a serious threat. | $0 | $16,550 |
| Posting requirement | The employer fails to post OSHA notices as required by law. | $0 | $16,550 |
| Repeated | The employer is cited for the same or a substantially similar OSHA violation. | $0 | $165,514 |
| Serious | The violation could cause an accident or illness that is likely to result in death or serious physical harm. (Violations may not be considered serious if the employer did not know or could not have known of the violation. However, not being aware of a safety issue may not be enough to avoid a penalty, especially if a reasonable person would have anticipated it.) | $0 | $16,550 |
| Willful | The employer knowingly fails to comply with a legal requirement (deliberate disregard) or shows plain indifference to employee safety. | $11,823 | $165,514 |
Posting OSHA citation notices
Employers are required to make employees aware of hazards in the workplace. If you receive an OSHA violation notice, you must post a copy at or near the location where each violation occurred.
The OSHA notice must remain posted for three working days or until the hazard is abated, whichever is longer (Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays do not count as working days). If you don’t comply, you could suffer more penalties.
Your options after an OSHA citation
If OSHA issues you a citation, you may:
- Correct the condition by the date specified in the notice
- Request an informal conference by the date listed in the notice
Always take OSHA notices and deadlines seriously — and consult your lawyer for advice! They can be an invaluable resource for employers who want to stay ahead of the risk curve but don’t know where to start.
Have questions or need help?
Please contact our Risk Management team for more information on OSHA’s 2025 Civil Penalty Increases.
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