OSHA Glossary
Definitions of key terms used in OSHA inspection records, violations, and enforcement actions.
Serious Violation
A violation where there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known about the hazard. This is the most common type of OSHA violation. The maximum penalty for a serious violation is $16,550 per violation (2025).
Willful Violation
A violation committed with intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, OSHA requirements. Willful violations carry the highest penalties, ranging from $11,823 to $165,514 per violation (2025). If a willful violation results in the death of a worker, the employer may face criminal prosecution.
Repeat Violation
A violation of any standard, regulation, rule, or order where a substantially similar violation was found at any of the employer's facilities within the previous five years. Penalties can reach up to $165,514 per violation (2025).
Other-than-Serious Violation
A violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. The maximum penalty is $16,550 per violation (2025). These violations still require correction by the employer.
Failure to Abate
When an employer fails to correct a previously cited violation by the abatement deadline. OSHA can assess penalties of up to $16,550 per day beyond the abatement date until the violation is corrected.
Planned Inspection
A scheduled inspection conducted as part of OSHA's programmed enforcement activities. These target high-hazard industries, specific geographic areas, or workplaces selected through random sampling. A planned inspection does not mean a complaint was filed.
Complaint Inspection
An inspection initiated in response to a worker complaint about unsafe or unhealthful working conditions. Workers have the right to file complaints anonymously. OSHA is required to respond to all formal complaints.
Referral Inspection
An inspection initiated based on a referral from another government agency, an OSHA inspector during another inspection, or other sources such as media reports of unsafe conditions.
Fatality/Catastrophe Inspection
An inspection triggered by a workplace fatality or severe incident. Since January 1, 2015, employers are required to report all work-related fatalities to OSHA within 8 hours, and all in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours (29 CFR 1904.39).
Follow-up Inspection
An inspection conducted to verify that previously cited violations have been corrected. OSHA may conduct follow-up inspections when serious, willful, or repeat violations were found in a prior inspection.
Initial Penalty
The penalty amount first proposed by OSHA when a citation is issued. This is the starting amount before any adjustments. OSHA calculates initial penalties based on the gravity of the violation (severity and probability of injury) and then applies adjustment factors for employer size, good faith compliance efforts, and violation history.
Current Penalty
The most recent penalty amount on record for a violation, after any adjustments from the initial assessment. Penalties may be reduced through informal conferences with the OSHA Area Director, formal contest proceedings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), or settlement agreements. The current penalty may be lower than, equal to, or in rare cases higher than the initial penalty.
Abatement
The process of correcting a cited violation. OSHA sets an abatement deadline for each violation, and employers must certify that they have corrected the hazard. Failure to abate a violation by the deadline can result in additional daily penalties.
Citation
A formal notice issued by OSHA to an employer describing the violations found during an inspection, the proposed penalties, and the deadlines for correcting (abating) the hazards. Employers have 15 working days to contest a citation.
Inspection Scope
The extent of an OSHA inspection. 'Complete' means the entire workplace was inspected. 'Partial' means only specific areas or operations were inspected. 'Records Only' means only recordkeeping and documentation were reviewed.
NAICS Code
The North American Industry Classification System code assigned to an establishment. NAICS codes identify the type of business or industry. OSHA uses NAICS codes to target inspections at high-hazard industries and to compile industry-level safety statistics.
State Plan
An OSHA-approved program operated by a state to enforce workplace safety standards. Twenty-two states and jurisdictions operate complete state plans covering both private and public sector workers. These programs must be at least as effective as federal OSHA. Seven additional states and jurisdictions cover public sector workers only.
Informal Settlement (Informal Conference)
A meeting between the employer and the OSHA Area Director to discuss citations and penalties. Employers may request an informal conference within 15 working days of receiving a citation. Settlements often result in reduced penalties in exchange for prompt abatement or other corrective measures.
General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1))
Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. OSHA uses this clause to cite employers for hazards not covered by a specific standard. General Duty Clause violations are classified as serious.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)
The federal law enacted in 1970 that created OSHA and established the framework for workplace safety regulation in the United States. The OSH Act covers most private sector employers and their workers, as well as some public sector employers in states with approved state plans.
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC)
An independent federal agency that resolves disputes between employers and OSHA over citations and penalties. When an employer formally contests a citation, the case is heard by an OSHRC administrative law judge. Decisions can be appealed to the full Commission and then to federal courts.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
A safety procedure (29 CFR 1910.147) that ensures dangerous machines are properly shut off and unable to start up before maintenance or servicing work begins. Lockout/tagout is one of OSHA's most frequently cited standards, particularly in manufacturing and general industry.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause workplace injuries and illnesses. Examples include hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, and fall protection harnesses. Under OSHA standards, employers must provide PPE at no cost to workers when engineering and administrative controls are not sufficient to eliminate hazards.
Hazard Communication (HazCom)
The OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requiring employers to inform workers about chemical hazards in the workplace through labels, safety data sheets (SDS), and training. HazCom is consistently one of the most cited OSHA standards, applying to virtually every workplace that uses chemicals, including common cleaning products.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A document that provides detailed information about a chemical product, including its hazards, safe handling procedures, emergency measures, and disposal guidelines. Employers must maintain SDSs for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace and make them readily accessible to workers. SDSs were required under the revised Hazard Communication Standard issued in 2012, replacing the older Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) format with full compliance required by June 1, 2016.
OSHA Recordkeeping (29 CFR 1904)
Federal requirements for employers to record and report work-related injuries and illnesses. Most employers with more than 10 employees must maintain OSHA 300 Logs, 300A Summary forms, and 301 Incident Report forms. Certain low-hazard industries are partially exempt. Employers must also electronically submit injury data to OSHA annually.
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)
OSHA programs that recognize employers and workers who maintain exemplary safety and health management systems. VPP sites are removed from OSHA's programmed inspection lists. Star is the highest level of recognition, with Merit serving as a stepping stone toward Star status. Achieving VPP status requires a rigorous on-site evaluation.
Gravity of a Violation
The primary factor OSHA uses to calculate penalty amounts. Gravity is based on the severity of the potential injury or illness (high, medium, low, or minimal) and the probability that an injury could occur (greater or lesser). A high-severity, greater-probability violation receives the highest base penalty.
Egregious Violations (Instance-by-Instance Citations)
In cases involving particularly flagrant violations, OSHA may cite each instance of a violation separately rather than grouping them into a single citation. This results in significantly higher total penalties. Egregious citations are typically reserved for willful violations where the employer showed complete disregard for worker safety.
Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926.501)
The OSHA construction standard requiring employers to protect workers from falls at heights of six feet or more. Fall protection has been the #1 most cited OSHA standard for over a decade. Methods include guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems. General industry (1910.28) has a four-foot trigger height.
Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134)
The OSHA standard requiring employers to establish a respiratory protection program when workers are exposed to airborne hazards. Requirements include medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and proper selection and maintenance of respirators. This standard is consistently among OSHA's top 5 most cited.
Whistleblower Protection (Section 11(c))
Section 11(c) of the OSH Act prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who report safety concerns, file OSHA complaints, participate in inspections, or exercise any rights under the OSH Act. Workers who believe they have been retaliated against must file a complaint with OSHA within 30 days.
Imminent Danger
A condition or practice that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm immediately or before the danger can be eliminated through normal enforcement procedures. OSHA gives top priority to imminent danger situations and can seek federal court orders to shut down operations.