The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to provide a safe work environment for their workers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for creating workplace safety standards and enforcing compliance with the OSH Act.
OSHA enforces compliance with the OSH Act by conducting inspections, gathering evidence and imposing penalties on non-compliant employers.
OSHA penalties are civil penalties that may result in fines. However, OSHA may refer to certain violations to the U.S. Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. Actual penalties imposed on an employer take into consideration the gravity of the violation, the size of the employer’s business, good faith efforts the employer makes to comply with the law and the employer’s compliance history.
This Compliance Overview provides a summary of the OSHA inspection process along with tips and reminders that employers should be aware of during an actual inspection.