Top OSHA Violations of 2024 and Higher Penalties for 2025
Beginning Jan. 15, OSHA’s maximum penalties for violations will increase from $16,131 per violation to $16,550 for each serious and other-than-serious violation, as well as each day an employer fails to abate a previously cited violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will also increase from $161,323 per violation to $165,514 per violation.
This represents an annual increase of around 2.6% from 2024 to 2025, a slight decrease from the 3.2% increase OSHA announced in penalty increases from 2023 to 2024. The penalty increases are tied to the annual cost-of-living increases across the federal government and to inflation.
Visit the OSHA Penalties page and read the final rule for more information.
The most common types of construction site injuries result from falls. This aligns with OSHA’s most-cited violations on jobsites.
Top OSHA violations for fiscal year 2024 (with standard cited):
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 6,307 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,888
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,573
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,470
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,443
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,248
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 2,050
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,873
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,814
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,541
The safety of residential construction workers is a top priority of NAHB and should be the top priority of every builder, remodeler and contractor. NAHB members and non-members can use a variety of free safety resources from NAHB, including our Jobsite Safety mobile app, Video Toolbox Talks series and more, to help keep their workers safe.
Latest from NAHBNow
Material Costs
Oct 16, 2026
U.S. Cuts Duties on Canadian Lumber
Following its annual review, the U.S. Department of Commerce lowered antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports from about 35.16% to 24.75%.
Legal
Oct 15, 2026
Supreme Court Leaves New York City’s SoHo/NoHo Arts Fee in Place
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a New York City law that requires certain property owners to pay a substantial fee to convert their properties to unrestricted residential use. NAHB filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to review the case.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 14, 2026
Labor Shortages a Growing Problem
Labor shortages in the home building industry are becoming more widespread, according to recent results from the NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey.
Economics
Oct 14, 2026
Inflation Accelerated in September
Higher energy prices pushed inflation to a four-month high in September, keeping pressure on the Fed as inflation has remained above its 2% target for more than five years.
Economics
Oct 13, 2026
Existing Home Sales Increased in September
Existing home sales rose after three months of declines as improved inventory gave buyers more negotiating power. As buyers wait for rate relief, homes are sitting on the market longer and for-sale inventory reached the highest level in over a decade.