Violations and penalties

Overview

You have rights and responsibilities if you are inspected by Oregon OSHA and receive a citation. Citations are issued via certified mail and must be signed for. If a citation is not deliverable via certified mail, it will be hand delivered. You must post the citation where employees can readily see it for three days or until all items are corrected, whichever is longer. You must correct any items that are listed as serious before the final abatement date noted on your citation, even if you are filing for an appeal. Your penalties are due 20 days after receipt of the citation. In the case of an appealed citation, penalties will be due 20 days after the citation is a final order.

You have the right to request an extension to correct a violation. You also have the right to appeal any item, monetary amount, or the entire citation.

All available content

Publications

Bulletins and Penalty Summaries
- Annual Adjustments to Penalties Bulletin 1-2024
  Oregon OSHA is required to calculate the annual adjustment based on the West Region CPI-U. Annual adjustments are based on the percent change between the West Region CPI-U in October of the preceding year and October of the current year. The civil penalties in this bulletin apply to citations assessed under ORS 654.086 for inspections opened between January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
  English 11/28/2023
- Annual Adjustments to Penalties Bulletin 1-2025
  Annual adjustments are based on the percent change between the West Region CPI-U in October of the preceding year and October of the current year. The civil penalties in this bulletin apply to citations assessed under ORS 654.086 for inspections opened between January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
  English 11/26/2024
- Resumen de ajustes de infracciones y sanciones, 2024
  Violations and penalties adjustments summary, 2024
  Oregon OSHA aprobó cambios a las normas en respuesta al proyecto de ley 592 del Senado, con vigencia a partir del 1 de enero de 2024. Esta resume los cambios.
  Spanish 12/15/2023
- Resumen de ajustes de infracciones y sanciones, 2025
  Violations and penalties adjustments summary, 2025
  Tablas que muestran tipos de infracciones y situaciones consideradas al ajustar una sanción base.
  Spanish 11/26/2024
- Violations and penalties adjustments summary, 2024
  Tables showing types of violations and situations considered in adjusting a base penalty.
  English 11/28/2023
- Violations and penalties adjustments summary, 2025
  Tables showing types of violations and situations considered in adjusting a base penalty.
  English 11/26/2024
- Violations and Penalties Summary - 2023 and Prior
  Tables showing types of violations and situations considered in adjusting a base penalty.
  English 07/01/2022
Fact sheets
- ¿Como determina Oregon OSHA las sanciones por infraccion?
  Determining Penalties: How does Oregon OSHA determine penalties for violations?
  El monto de la multa en dólares por violaciones de las normas de seguridad y salud depende del tipo de infracción; esto explica las diferentes sanciones.
  Spanish 12/23/2024
- Determining Penalties
  How Oregon OSHA compliance officers determine the amount for a violation.
  English 12/13/2024
- Entender las normas de Oregon OSHA que afectan las multas civiles
  Understanding Oregon OSHA’s civil penalties rules
  Explains civil penalty annual changes and whether adjustments are available for different types of violations.
  Spanish 01/03/2025
- Understanding Oregon OSHA’s rules affecting civil penalties
  Explains civil penalty annual changes and whether adjustments are available for different types of violations.
  English 12/13/2024
Reports
- Senate Bill 592 Initial Annual Report for 2024
  Annual report to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly relating to Senate Bill 592 (2023)
  English 09/13/2024
- Top 25 Violations Report
  Link to Department of Consumer & Business Services report catalog for Oregon OSHA Top 25 Violations
  English

Education and training

Rules and rule-related

Adopted Rules
- Adopted Division 1 Civil Penalty & Work Refusal Changes from Senate Bills 592 and 907
  Administrative Order 03-2023 Rule text
Final Rules
- Division 1, 437-001-0135 through 437-001-0203, Violations and Penalties
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-0205 through 437-001-0265 (excluding 437-001-0255), Citations and Corrections
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-0255 through 437-001-0270, Requesting an Appeal and an Informal Conference
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-0275 through 437-001-0280, Posting
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-0285 through 437-001-0295, Complaints
  Administrative Order 3-2023
- Division 1, 437-001-1065, Assessment of Civil Penalties
  Administrative Order 3-2023
Program Directives
- Citations: Egregious Violations
  This program directive covers enforcement procedures applicable in cases where violation-by-violation (egregious) citation and penalty provisions are employed.
  A-158 08/08/2022
- Local Emphasis Program (LEP): Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP)
  Purpose: Oregon OSHA’s policies and procedures for its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP), which concentrates limited resources on inspecting employers who demonstrate a resistance or indifference to employee health and/or safety and the Oregon Safe Employment Act (ORS 654) as evidenced by qualifying willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations, or when certain types of citations result from a Programmed Inspection for Cause (PIC).
  A-277 03/31/2025
Summary of comments and decisions

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Watch Online

English
- SB592 Inspections and Penalties
  In 2023, the Oregon State Legislature passed Senate Bill 592 that brought about changes to how Oregon OSHA assesses penalties and introduced a new type of inspection. In this video, we’ll give a brief overview of these legislative and administrative rule changes.
  Language: English Length: 04:40 minutes
Spanish
- SB592 Inspecciones y Sanciones
  SB592 Inspections and Penalties
  En 2023, la Legislatura del Estado de Oregón aprobó el Proyecto de Ley del senado 592 que introdujo cambios en la forma en que Oregon OSHA evalúa las sanciones e introdujo un nuevo tipo de inspección. En este vídeo, daremos una breve descripción de estos cambios legislativos.
  Language: Spanish Length: 4:40 min.

Additional Resources

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