As most contractors have heard
by now, in November 1990,
Congress increased sevenfold the
maximum civil penalties that the
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) may
impose for violations of its job
safety regulations. Maximum
penalty amounts for serious and
other-than-serious violations
increased from $1,000 to $7,000,
and the maximum for willful and
repeat violations increased from
$10,000 to $70,000.
This increased penalty authority
is resulting in larger assessments by
the agency. The penalties for
equivalent offenses have recently
run three to four times larger than
those imposed before the law's
amendment. Consequently,
avoiding or minimizing such
violations has become more
important than ever.
Responding to a Citation
Enforcement proceedings
officially start when an employer
receives a "Citation and
Notification of Penalty." The
citation may be served by certified
mail,