As of July 1, 2017 Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) implemented an increase in maximum penalties by more than 78%.
The changes were implemented as part of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act which mandates agencies, such as OSHA, adjust their penalties. Of course no company wants an OSHA penalty but now more than ever these penalties will cost you. So what does this mean for your organization?
| Violation Type | Old | New |
| Serious | $7,000 | $12,471 |
| Other-than-serious | $7,000 | $12,471 |
| Repeat | $70,000 | $124,709 |
| Willful | $70,000 | $124,709 |
| Failure to Abate | $7,000 | $12,471 |
With these new penalties almost doubling any one of these penalties will negatively impact your business. The best way to avoid the increased charges is not to receive a penalty in the first place. Providing you managers and workers with the right OSHA training and making workplace safety a priority across all levels of your organization.
Circle Safety & Health Consultants provides a variety of OSHA and safety training courses, or can evaluate your safety culture and put a plan in place. Get in touch for more information or read this recent press release from the Virginia Department of Labor addressing the increase in workplace fatalities this July.
