Oklahoma Labor Department: OSHA Penalties to Rise Aug. 1

The Oklahoma Department of Labor is warning businesses in that state that civil penalty amounts assessed by federal safety regulators for workplace safety violations are going up beginning Aug. 1.

The Oklahoma DOL says Occupational Health and Safety Administration penalties will rise by 78 percent. The top penalty for serious violations will rise from $7,000 to $12,471. Penalties for willful or repeated violations will rise from $70,000 to $124,000.

The ODOL is urging Oklahoma employers to take advantage of its Safety Pays program, which potentially saved employers in Oklahoma $7,587,270 last year.

The department says the program is a free and confidential service designed to help private sector employers understand and comply with OSHA standards.