Discount on Danger: Is OSHA Giving Too Many Discounts to Employers that Injure or Kill Workers?
The median OSHA fine in an investigation involving a worker fatality is $5,800, which is less than the cost of the funeral for the dead worker. Will the ability to increase maximum penalties change that?
As of August 1, OSHA can increase the maximum penalty level for employers that violate occupational safety and health laws by as much as 78 percent. But how effective is the threat of those increased fines if OSHA continues to negotiate settlements that decrease or even eliminate fines?
