The interim head of OSHA says it’s time to look at restructuring OSHA fines.
At the American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) Safety 2009 conference, Jordan Barab noted that the last time OSHA fines were restructured was in 1990.
Right now, the average fine for a serious violation is between $900 and $1,000. Barab says that’s not enough of a disincentive to force companies to address safety hazards.
It would be up to Congress to change OSHA’s penalty structure, and there is a bill introduced to do just that.
Ultimately, Barab says he’d like OSHA fines to be comparable to those EPA is able to issue for environmental violations.
He’d also like Congress to make it easier for OSHA to bring criminal penalties for egregious violations.
Check back with SafetyNewsAlert.com all this week for news from ASSE’s Safety 2009 conference.
