Higher OSHA Penalties Kick-in This Week

• The Department of Labor last week announced its annual inflation adjustments to OSHA civil penalties for 2025, taking effect for violations issued on or after Jan. 15, 2025.
•   Below are the maximum penalty amounts:

• State plan workplace safety agencies are required to increase their maximum penalties in alignment with OSHA’s penalty increases to maintain at least as effective penalty levels.
• Other DOL civil penalties are similarly increasing. More information can be found in the final rule.
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Safety Council Issues Finding From MSD Survey

• The National Safety Council (NSC) has released its 2023-2024 MSD Solutions Index, an annual survey developed by the MSD Solutions Lab. 
• It shows notable progress in several key areas of musculoskeletal disorders, or MSD,  including greater use of ergonomics programs, more organizations taking a proactive approach toward prevention, and increased collaboration across industries to share effective solutions.
• This detailed assessment evaluates what and how organizations are doing to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by focusing on three essential areas: risk reduction, safety culture, and innovation and collaboration.
• Based on a survey conducted from December 2023 to June 2024, it assessed 44 organizations’ efforts in three core areas: risk reduction, safety culture, and innovation.
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‘Dirty Dozen’ Nominees Sought by NCOSH

• The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is seeking nominations for its yearly “Dirty Dozen” report, a compilation of what the group describes as employers that put workers and communities at risk by prioritizing profits over safety.
• Among the questions on the nominations are: How are workers being exposed to unsafe working conditions; What (if any) actions have workers taken and what has been the response of the employer; and, Are there workers who can provide testimony.
• The report is published each April during Workers’ Memorial Week.
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Washington State Agency Seeks Updates Input Via Virtual Meetings

• The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is seeking stakeholder inputs to its efforts to update the state’s Safety and Health Core Rules.
• Among the updates are revisions to streamline language, aligning state regulations with federal OSHA requirements and addressing workplace safety issues.
• The agency is hosting two virtual stakeholder meetings, on Jan. 29 and Feb. 13, to provide an overview of the proposed rule changes, share preliminary draft language, and provide an opportunity to ask questions or provide feedback.
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