OSHA has just issued two new enforcement policies – the Severe Violators Enforcement program (SVEP) and a new directive on penalties that changes the penalty calculation formulas.
The new SVEP program targets repeated severe violators with increased inspections, including inspections of other worksites of the same employer. According to OSHA the new penalty directive will increase average penalties for serious violations from about $1,000 to $3,000-$4,000.
The new Severe Violator Enforcement Program is intended to focus OSHA enforcement resources on recalcitrant employers who endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law.
This supplemental enforcement tool includes increased OSHA inspections in these worksites, including mandatory OSHA follow-up inspections, and inspections of other worksites of the same employer where similar hazards and deficiencies may be present.
SVEP will become effective within the next 45 days. For more information see the News Release at http://osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=17544.
