In the next 45 days, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s new Severe Violator Enforcement Program, intended to focus enforcement resources on “recalcitrant employers who endanger workers by demonstrating indifference to their responsibilities under the law,” will take effect.

According to OSHA, the program 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. The average penalty for a serious violation will increase from about $1,000 now to an average $3,000 to $4,000. Monetary penalties for violations of the OSH Act would be raised up to $250,000. Future penalty increases would be tied to inflation.

OSHA has outlined the details of the severe violator program here.