OSHA Update – Penalty Increases & Change To Construction PPE Standard

The Nevada Occupational Safety & Health Administration (NV OSHA) has issued a notice regarding annual increases to its administrative penalties for workplace safety violations. Nevada OSHA’s administrative penalties will increase by 2.59% for any penalty assessed on or after January 15, 2025, regardless of when an inspection was opened. 

Penalties for violations of the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Act will now be as follows: 

• For repeated violations or willful violations, the maximum penalty has increased from $161,323 to $165,514;
• For serious violations, “other-than-serious” violations, failure to abate violations, and posting violations, the maximum penalty has increased from $16,131 to $16,550.

Additionally, the federal OSHA revised its personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for construction workers. The standard, which was published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2024 and became effective on January 13, 2025, now explicitly requires that PPE “properly fits.” OSHA is addressing a concern that PPE which does not properly fit smaller construction workers increases safety risks if the equipment is ill-fitting or not worn. 

While President Trump issued a Regulatory Freeze on January 20, 2025, it does not require OSHA to withdraw this already-effective, revised PPE rule. It is certainly possible in the days to come that a change will be made. OSHA recently updated its news release on this regulatory change to state: “Information in some news releases may be out of date or not reflect current policies.” As always, we will keep you posted of developments.  

KZA Employer Report articles are for general information only; they are not intended and should not be construed to be legal advice. Reading or replying to such articles does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In addition, because the subject matters and applicable laws discussed in Employer Report articles are often in a state of change and not always applicable to every type of business entity or organization, readers should consult with counsel before making decisions based on the same.