As of January 16, Occupational Safety and Health Administration civil penalty amounts increased based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2024. Maximum penalties for “serious and other-than-serious violations” will go from $15,625 to $16,131 per violation.  At the same time, the maximum penalties for “willful or repeated violations” will jump from $156,259 to $161,23 per violation. 

States that have their own Occupational Safety and Health Plans must adopt maximum penalties that are in line with the revised mandated federally ones. In some states, this may mean that penalties will go up significantly. To date, 22 state plans cover private sector and state/local government workers, while seven only cover the latter. 

In light of these penalty increases, it behooves organizations to ensure they implement and maintain an effective safety program. This should include employee compliance with safety rules and consistent enforcement of those rules by employers. Free resources are available from the American Healthcare Association/National Center for Assisted Living website, including A Roadmap to OSHA Requirements and The OSHA Inspection Process: Types, Procedures, and Outcomes. These resources are designed to support all LTC providers, including assisted living communities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act requires agencies to adjust the level of civil penalties and make annual adjustments for inflation by January 15 of each year. Congress passed this requirement in 2016, believing that this increase is necessary as a deterrent to safety violations