Since 2015, OSHA proposed $4,474,215,379 in penalties. After settlements, informal conferences and reviews, those penalties stand at $3,163,971,348 today, 29% less than first proposed.
Typical penalty per citation item
Items that carried a proposed penalty, in inspections opened since 2015.
| Type | Items | Median proposed | Median today | Reduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serious | 992,667 | $2,897 | $2,000 | 57% |
| Willful | 7,116 | $35,491 | $30,000 | 37% |
| Repeat | 53,641 | $6,820 | $5,000 | 43% |
| Other-than-serious | 575,296 | $525 | $375 | 46% |
The legal maximums
OSHA's published maximums, for penalties assessed after January 15, 2026, are $16,550 per serious or other-than-serious violation, $16,550 per day for failing to fix a cited hazard past the deadline, and $165,514 per willful or repeated violation. Most penalties land far below the maximum: OSHA cuts them for small employers, good faith and a clean history, and many more are cut again in settlement.
Penalties per year, as they stand today
The largest current penalties since 2015
| Employer | Proposed | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Builders of Virginia, Inc. Forest, VA | $8,198,016 | $8,120,636 |
| Citgo Petroleum Corporation-LCMC Sulphur, LA | $8,344,932 | $5,916,836 |
| Revoli Construction Co., Inc Andover, MA | $5,173,582 | $4,961,057 |
| Daehan Solution Nevada, LLC. Fernley, NV | $4,775,221 | $4,766,917 |
| The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Danville, VA | $4,284,037 | $3,672,622 |
| U.S. Steel Corporation Clairton, PA | $7,616,380 | $3,535,897 |
| Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC Mc Ewen, TN | $3,138,700 | $3,141,100 |
| Miracapo Pizza Company LLC dba Little Lady Foods Elk Grove Village, IL | $3,112,602 | $3,109,669 |
| One Way Environmental Services LLC Houston, TX | $3,045,452 | $3,045,452 |
| Sunfield, Inc. Hebron, OH | $4,270,795 | $2,973,351 |
| Republic Steel Cleveland, OH | $6,887,312 | $2,950,049 |
| Dollar General Corporation/ Dolgencorp, LLC Odenville, AL | $3,199,587 | $2,730,784 |
| MDLG, Inc. Phenix City, AL | $2,909,745 | $2,709,819 |
| Joon, LLC Cusseta, AL | $2,551,888 | $2,548,535 |
| BP Products North America, Inc. Oregon, OH | $2,540,000 | $2,540,000 |
| AK Steel Corporation Middletown, OH | $2,854,150 | $2,379,050 |
| Wagner Construction Inc Bismarck, ND | $2,503,516 | $2,284,380 |
| Great White Construction, Inc. Jacksonville, FL | $2,286,489 | $2,263,049 |
| Didion Milling, Inc. Cambria, WI | $2,465,176 | $2,192,541 |
| BB Frame LLC dba Frame Q LLC, as Successor to Frame Q LLC, and Juan Quevedo Cliffside Park, NJ | $2,004,225 | $2,004,225 |
| Wyman-Gordon Forgings, Inc. Houston, TX | $2,046,616 | $1,988,241 |
| Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Richmond, CA | $2,105,030 | $1,985,405 |
| Starkist Samoa Co. Pago Pago, AS | $1,993,164 | $1,924,428 |
| General Aluminum MFG LLC Conneaut, OH | $2,064,305 | $1,794,806 |
| National Beef Packing Co. LLC. Liberal, KS | $2,418,304 | $1,748,792 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data; maximums from OSHA's penalties page (osha.gov/penalties), read November 2026.