Fines for workplace-safety violations are set to skyrocket. The Federal Budget Agreement, passed November 3RD, 2015, included a provision that authorized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to increase penalties for the first time in 25 years.

OSHA is mandated to increase penalties to make up for a lack of increases over the last two decades. The budget agreement notes that penalties can not be greater than the inflation rate over the last two decades, however, fines are estimated to increase by as much as 82%! Penalty increases will take effect August 31, 2016. To read more regarding OSHA’s penalty increases Click Here.

So what can you do as a business owner to protect yourself against workplace-safety violations and increased penalties? See OSHA’s top ten cited violations below and ensure you facility is compliant!

The Top 10 cited violations for Fiscal year  2015:

  1. Fall Protection (1926.501)
  2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
  3. Scaffolding (1926.451)
  4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
  5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147)
  6. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)
  7. Ladders (1926.1053)
  8. Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305)
  9. Machine Guarding (1910.212)
  10. Electrical – General Requirements (1910.303)

Read more about OSHA standards here: OSHA 29 CFR 1910