In District of Columbia, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. HazCom / GHS is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1910.1200 · District of Columbia
HazCom / GHS Requirements in District of Columbia
HazCom / GHS in District of Columbia: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.1200, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
District of ColumbiaGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
Federal OSHA issued no citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to District of Columbia construction employers in FY2025. The federal maximum for a serious violation is $16,550.
0
1910.1200 citations in District of Columbia construction, FY2025
(e)(1)
paragraph federal OSHA cited most nationwide (262 citations)
3.0
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries, District of Columbia, 2024 (BLS)
Harmful exposures and work deaths in District of Columbia, 2024
District of Columbia recorded 11 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 12 in 2023. BLS did not publish a separate 2024 count of deaths from exposure to harmful substances or environments for District of Columbia.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, District of Columbia, 2024
How District of Columbia Enforces 29 CFR 1910.1200
District of Columbia has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1910.1200 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1910.1200, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in District of Columbia
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In District of Columbia, the program is Office of Occupational Safety & Health (D.C. Department of Employment Services). OSHA describes it as “Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs.” It is separate from OSHA enforcement; the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
District of Columbia consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Baltimore-Washington DC Area Office (Linthicum).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
District of Columbia Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.1200 (2026)
Verified · 2026-10-05| Violation type | 2026 maximum | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $16,550 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Willful | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Repeat | $165,514 | Federal max · 29 CFR 1903.15(d) |
| Failure to abate | $16,550/day | up to $16,550 per day; total capped at 30x the daily amount (FOM Ch.6) |
District of Columbia applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Federal OSHA reduces the proposed penalty for employer size, good faith and history (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch. 6). There was no inflation increase for 2026: the 2025 amounts remain in effect (OMB Memo M-26-11).
Key HazCom / GHS Requirements 29 CFR 1910.1200
- Maintain a written HazCom program
- Keep SDS accessible for every hazardous chemical
- Ensure containers have GHS-compliant labels
- Train employees on chemical hazards
- Maintain a chemical inventory list
- Update to GHS Rev 7 by 2026 deadlines
Who enforces it in District of Columbia: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; District of Columbia has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1910.1200 are on the 29 CFR 1910.1200 page.
HazCom / GHS Citations in District of Columbia, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued no citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to District of Columbia construction employers in FY2025. For reference, the paragraphs federal OSHA cited most nationwide:
Federal OSHA, construction, FY2025: 698 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200.
- 1
1910.1200(e)(1) 262 citations
“Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) …”
- 2
1910.1200(h)(1) 167 citations
“Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical …”
- 3
1910.1200(g)(8) 108 citations
“The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each …”
- 4
1910.1200(g)(1) 78 citations
“Chemical manufacturers and importers shall obtain or develop a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Employers shall have a safety data sheet in …”
- 5
1910.1200(e)(1)(i) 21 citations
“A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that is referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet (the list may be compiled …”
- 6
1910.1200(h)(3)(i) 8 citations
“Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, …”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: every federal OSHA citation issued in FY2025 to a construction employer (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
District of Columbia Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
76 of them in District of Columbia (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in District of Columbia, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (48), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (12) and Framing Contractors (12), out of 132 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Fatal injury rate in District of Columbia, 2024: 3.0 per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries. BLS did not publish a 2024 construction rate here.
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) opened from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, federal OSHA and State Plan combined, grouped by the inspected employer's 2022 NAICS industry. Industry names are the Census Bureau's 2022 NAICS titles. data.dol.gov · BLS fatality rates by state, 2024
Free HazCom / GHS Compliance Tools
HazCom / GHS FAQ for District of Columbia
Which District of Columbia construction trades are inspected most?
The construction trades inspected most in District of Columbia in FY2025 were Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (48), New Multifamily Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (12) and Framing Contractors (12), out of 132 inspections opened, federal OSHA and State Plan combined (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Federal OSHA issued no citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to District of Columbia construction employers that year. Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since District of Columbia has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 76 citations across 20 inspections of District of Columbia construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1910.1200 on a recurring basis.
How often is HazCom / GHS cited on District of Columbia jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break District of Columbia out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 76 citations across 20 inspections of District of Columbia construction employers, none of them under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazComFast count). A HazCom / GHS citation in District of Columbia can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. District of Columbia's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces Hazard Communication in the District of Columbia?
Federal OSHA, not a local agency. The District has no state plan, so federal compliance officers from OSHA's Philadelphia region enforce 1910.1200 across general industry and construction. In federal construction inspections in FY2025, the HazCom paragraphs cited most were (e)(1), the written program; (h)(1), training; and (g)(8), SDS access.
When do District of Columbia employers have to update for the 2024 HazCom Standard?
Private employers in District of Columbia are under federal OSHA, so the federal calendar applies. The 2024 update took effect July 19, 2024; after OSHA's January 15, 2026 extension, employers update alternative workplace labels, the written program and training, as necessary, by November 20, 2026 for substances and May 19, 2028 for mixtures (29 CFR 1910.1200(j)(2)(ii) and (j)(3)(ii)).
Can I get free OSHA help in District of Columbia without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in District of Columbia is Office of Occupational Safety & Health (D.C. Department of Employment Services). OSHA describes it this way: "Primarily for smaller businesses, no-cost, confidential consultations help employers identify and address hazards and establish or improve safety and health programs." Consultations are separate from OSHA enforcement, and the employer commits to correcting serious hazards.
HazCom / GHS Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup, or read the HazCom Enforcement Report for the national picture.
Related standards
HazCom / GHS in Other States
19 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.1200 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska8 AAC 61.1110 (physical agent data sheets), with the adoption at 8 AAC 61.1010(b)ArizonaA.A.C. R20-5-602California8 CCR §5194 (Proposition 65 integration at §5194(f)(6))own maxHawaiiHAR §12-60-50(a) and §12-60-50(d)(3), with Exhibits A and BIndiana610 IAC 9-2-8(b), term substitutions applying to everything Indiana incorporatesown maxIowa481—210.4(88), with 481—210.2(88) on incorporated standardsKentucky803 KAR 2:320, Section 6 (Subpart Z), with Kentucky's own MOCA standard at Section 2own maxMarylandCOMAR 09.12.31.01 GGown max
Other OSHA Standards in District of Columbia
Sources & verification
Penalty amounts and plan-type data were checked on 2026-10-05 against eCFR, OSHA.gov, and the Federal Register. This page is informational and not legal advice; consult the enforcing agency or counsel for your specific situation.
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OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
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