In Georgia, a serious violation of 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) carries a maximum penalty of $16,550 per violation in 2026, rising to $165,514 for a willful or repeat violation. Respiratory Protection is enforced for private construction employers by federal OSHA.
29 CFR 1910.134 · Georgia
Respiratory Protection Requirements in Georgia
Respiratory Protection in Georgia: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.134, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
GeorgiaGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.134 15 times in Georgia construction (1% of its construction citations there, the 15th most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1910.134(c)(1) with 3 citations.
15
1910.134 citations in Georgia construction, FY2025
(c)(1)
paragraph cited most in Georgia (3 citations)
10.2
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Georgia, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Georgia: 29 CFR 1910.134, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-2615
citations of 29 CFR 1910.134 in 7 inspections
$5,533
penalties, current amounts ($9,221 as first proposed)
1%
of the 1,541 federal construction citations in Georgia
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) 15 times in inspections of Georgia construction employers. It ranked 15th of the 61 standards cited in them. By classification: 9 serious, 6 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1910.134(c)(1) (3), 1910.134(e)(1) (3), 1910.134(c)(2)(i) (2).
Counted by HazComFast from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement data (inspection and violation tables, retrieved September 26, 2026): citations issued October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025 on federal OSHA inspections of construction employers (NAICS 23) in the state, deleted citations excluded, penalties at current amounts. OSHA's own cited-standards tool does not break federal states out; summed over every state, this count matches it within a few citations (6,778 for 1926.501, against 6,772). data.dol.gov
What federal OSHA is targeting in Georgia
Georgia has no state OSHA plan for private-sector work, so there is no state rule to read. What differs here is which hazards federal OSHA schedules inspections for, as set out in published emphasis directives.
Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for Noise Hazards
ATL-CPL-04-00-002 · Atlanta Regional Office · effective November 5, 2024
“This instruction applies to all Atlanta Region Federal Offices, except State Plan Offices.”
Noise is programmed across the Atlanta region's federal offices, and the directive draws the line itself: it excludes State Plan offices. Florida and Georgia are the region's federal-jurisdiction states for private-sector work, so this is one of the few Atlanta programs that actually reaches them.
Harmful exposures and work deaths in Georgia, 2024
Georgia recorded 170 fatal work injuries in 2024, down from 192 in 2023. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 17 of them (10%). Construction accounted for 38.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Georgia, 2024
Respiratory Protection Cases in Georgia
Southern Industrial Chemicals Inc. (SIC Technologies)
$289,439Atlanta, Georgia - hexavalent-chromium exposure · 2024
OSHA found the Atlanta manufacturer had not used feasible engineering controls to reduce employee exposure to hexavalent chromium. Among 67 serious violations, OSHA cited a failure to establish and implement a respiratory protection program, including no medical evaluation before workers were fit-tested or required to use respirators. The proposed penalty was $289,439.
U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA news release, March 8, 2024How Georgia Enforces 29 CFR 1910.134
Georgia has no State Plan, so federal OSHA has jurisdiction. 29 CFR 1910.134 is enforced by U.S. Department of Labor compliance officers using standard federal procedures and the federal penalty maximums.
In Georgia, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1910.134 went most often to Industrial Building Construction (4) and Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (4). A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against 29 CFR 1910.134, before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in Georgia
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Georgia, the program is Georgia On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program (Georgia Tech, Enterprise Innovation Institute). 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.
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Atlanta East Area Office (Atlanta), the Atlanta West Area Office (Atlanta) and the Savannah Area Office (Savannah).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Georgia Penalty Amounts for 29 CFR 1910.134 (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) |
Georgia 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 Respiratory Protection Requirements 29 CFR 1910.134
- Establish written respiratory protection program
- Conduct medical evaluations before fit testing
- Perform annual fit testing for tight-fitting respirators
- Provide NIOSH-certified respirators
- Train on proper use and limitations
- Designate qualified program administrator
Who enforces it in Georgia: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Georgia has no State Plan.
The compliance checklist, the paragraphs OSHA cites nationally and what an inspector checks under 29 CFR 1910.134 are on the 29 CFR 1910.134 page.
Most-Cited Respiratory Protection Paragraphs in Georgia, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 15 citations under 29 CFR 1910.134 to Georgia construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1910.134(c)(1) 3 citations
“In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement …”
- 2
1910.134(e)(1) General. 3 citations
“The employer shall provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator …”
- 3
1910.134(c)(2)(i) 2 citations
“An employer may provide respirators at the request of employees or permit employees to use their own respirators, if the employer determines that such respirator use will not …”
- 4
1910.134(f)(2) 2 citations
“The employer shall ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, …”
- 5
1910.134(k)(3) 2 citations
“The employer shall provide the training prior to requiring the employee to use a respirator in the workplace.”
- 6
1910.134(c) Respiratory protection program. 1 citation
“This paragraph requires the employer to develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures and elements for required respirator use. The program must be …”
HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), by the paragraph cited. Paragraph text: eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026. data.dol.gov
Georgia Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
1,541 of them in Georgia (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Georgia, FY2025: Framing Contractors (290), Roofing Contractors (163) and Siding Contractors (99), out of 885 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1910.134 in Georgia, FY2025: Industrial Building Construction (4), Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (4) and Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (3), of 15 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Georgia, 2024: 10.2 per 100,000 full-time workers, 14th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.4).
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. HazComFast count from the Labor Department's OSHA enforcement data: citations issued in FY2025 to construction employers (NAICS 23), grouped by the cited 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 Respiratory Protection Compliance Tools
Respiratory Protection FAQ for Georgia
Which Georgia construction trades are cited most under Respiratory Protection?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 15 citations under 29 CFR 1910.134 to Georgia construction employers, most often to Industrial Building Construction (4), Painting and Wall Covering Contractors (4) and Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (3) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Georgia has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 1,541 citations across 711 inspections of Georgia construction employers in FY2025 (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Companies in these trades should self-audit against 29 CFR 1910.134 on a recurring basis.
How often is Respiratory Protection cited on Georgia jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Georgia out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 1,541 citations across 711 inspections of Georgia construction employers, 15 of them under 29 CFR 1910.134 (HazComFast count). A Respiratory Protection citation in Georgia can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Georgia's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces respiratory protection (1910.134) for Georgia employers?
Federal OSHA. Because Georgia has no State Plan, a compliance officer from OSHA's Atlanta region inspects and cites 1910.134 directly, at the federal penalty maximums.
Can I get free OSHA help in Georgia without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Georgia is Georgia On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program (Georgia Tech, Enterprise Innovation Institute). 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.
How often does federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1910.134 in Georgia construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) 15 times in 7 inspections of Georgia construction employers, with $5,533 in penalties at current amounts ($9,221 as first proposed), 1% of the 1,541 citations those inspections produced. It ranked 15th of the 61 standards cited. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
Respiratory Protection Guides & Resources
Compare this combination against any other state and standard with the enforcement risk lookup.
Related standards
Respiratory Protection in Other States
14 other state plans write a rule of their own for 29 CFR 1910.134 rather than adopting the federal text unchanged. Those are listed first. Compare all of them side by side.
Alaska8 AAC 61.1030Arizona29 CFR 1910.134 as adopted by A.A.C. R20-5-602, with R20-5-602.02 for Subpart UCalifornia8 CCR §5144, with §5141.1 for wildfire smokeown maxHawaii29 CFR 1910.134 as incorporated by HAR §12-60-50(a), with the air contaminant exhibits at (d)(3)Indiana610 IAC 9-3-1, incorporating 29 CFR 1904.0 to 1904.46 as it existed January 1, 2006own maxMaryland29 CFR 1910.134 as adopted by COMAR 09.12.31.01, with COMAR 09.12.32.05own maxNevadaNRS 618.297 (wildfire smoke air quality)North Carolina13 NCAC 07F .0103, adding a training level to 29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6)
Other OSHA Standards in Georgia
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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