OSHA Issues $3.4M in Fines for COVID-19 Violations

The total amount of fines levied against employers by OSHA for COVID-19 violations nearly tripled from the start of October through Nov. 26, the agency said.

As of early October, OSHA said it had proposed over $1.2 million in penalties against employers nationwide for coronavirus-related workplace violations.

By Nov. 26, that figure had jumped to $3.4 million in fines that arose from 255 inspections for violations related to the coronavirus.

As a result of those inspections, OSHA has cited employer for many violations, including failing to:

• Implement a written respiratory protection program
• Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, and training on the proper use of a respirator and personal protective equipment
• Report an injury, illness, or fatality
• Record an injury or illness on OSHA recordkeeping forms
• Comply with OSHA’s General Duty Clause

Citations

OSHA singled out 11 inspections performed during the week of Nov. 20-26 that resulted in $101,000 in proposed fines.

Among the companies fined was a nursing care facility in Lowell, Mass., that faces $25,061 in proposed fines for what OSHA termed serious violations.

OSHA provides more information about individual citations at its establishment search website, which it updates periodically.

A full list of what standards were cited for each establishment—and the inspection number—are available here. An OSHA standards database can be found here.

Resources are available on the agency’s COVID-19 website to help employers comply with these standards.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Phillip Montgomery at 860.244.1982.