Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through November 26, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations arising from 255 inspections for violations relating to COVID-19, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,403,139.
OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to:
- Implement a written respiratory protection program;
- Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, 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; and
- Comply with the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
OSHA has already announced citations relating to the coronavirus arising out of 244 inspections, which can be found here. In addition to those inspections, 11 inspections have resulted in coronavirus-related citations totaling $101,207 from OSHA relating to one or more of the above violations from November 20 to November 26, 2020. 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 – is available here. An OSHA standards database can be found here.
Resources are available on the agency’s COVID-19 webpage to help employers comply with these standards.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, education and assistance.
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