OSHA Penalties by State
OSHA Penalties in Iowa (2026)
Iowa runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Iowa OSHA (IOSH), covering private-sector employers. In 2026, a serious violation carries up to $16,550 and a willful or repeat violation up to $165,514 (federal maximums).
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
Iowa is an OSHA-approved State Plan covering both private and public employers. Private-sector construction employers in this state answer to the state plan, not federal OSHA. Its standards must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and some state plans set higher penalty maximums. A serious violation carries up to $16,550 and a willful or repeat violation up to $165,514 per violation in 2026.
29 CFR 1903.15OSHA 2026 adjustment memo2026 amounts unchanged from 2025, with no inflation increase.
Is Iowa federal OSHA or a state plan?
Iowa runs a full OSHA-approved state plan covering private and public employers, administered by Iowa OSHA (IOSH).
Private-sector construction employers in this state answer to the state plan, not federal OSHA. Its standards must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and some state plans set higher penalty maximums.
29 CFR 190229 approved state plans
Compare all 29 plans, their agencies and their penalty caps on the OSHA State Plans hub. How the Iowa plan works, its own standards and its HazCom rule: Iowa State Plan guide.
Whose HazCom rule applies in Iowa?
Iowa has its own hazard communication rule to read. OSHA lists hazard communication among this plan’s own standards, one of 10 full State Plans, out of 22. That label says a state rule exists, not what it contains: some states write a separate text, some deliver the federal text under their own numbering at fixed dates, and some add a state right-to-know layer on top of the federal standard.
Iowa enumerates the federal notices it adopts, and that list now runs through the HCS 2024 rule and its correction notice, so the 2024 standard is Iowa law, adopted November 6, 2024. Iowa also keeps a separate "Hazardous Chemical Risks Right to Know" standard, so there are two rulebooks to read here.
Rule: Iowa Admin. Code r. 481—210.4(88) (Adoption by reference)
Iowa adopts 29 CFR Part 1910 statically, by enumerating Federal Register notices: "as published at 37 Fed. Reg. 22102 to 22324 (October 18, 1972) and as amended at:" followed by a dated list. The last two entries in that list are 89 Fed. Reg. 44144 (May 20, 2024), the HCS 2024 final rule, and 89 Fed. Reg. 81829 (October 9, 2024), OSHA's correction notice. Two rulemakings put them there: ARC 8411C, effective November 6, 2024, which rescinded and readopted the general-industry chapter and took up the classification-and-labeling rule (the 35-day delay was waived so Iowa would stay inside the six-month State Plan adoption window), and ARC 9069C, effective March 12, 2025, which took up the correction notice. Chapter 210 covers general industry only; Iowa's construction standards sit in a separate chapter.
Adoption verified 2026-08-07 against OSHA’s state-plan record. HCS 2024 deadlines by state plan.
Chemical inventory reporting (EPCRA Tier II) in Iowa
The state accepts Tier II only through E-Plan. Due March 1 each year.
Iowa Tier II: filing system, deadline and fees, in the state's own words
Iowa Penalty Rates (2026)
Per-violation civil penalties. Iowa applies the federal amounts. 29 CFR 1903.15(d)
Serious Violation
$16,550
per violation (max)
Willful / Repeat
$165,514
per violation (max)
Failure to Abate
$16,550
per day
| Violation type | Minimum | Maximum | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serious | $1,085 | $16,550 | 29 CFR 1903.15(d)(3) |
| Other-Than-Serious | $0 | $16,550 | 29 CFR 1903.15(d)(4) |
| Willful | $11,823 | $165,514 | 29 CFR 1903.15(d)(1) |
| Repeated | $4,256 | $165,514 | 29 CFR 1903.15(d)(2) |
| Failure to Abate | None | $16,550 / day | 29 CFR 1903.15(d)(5) |
2026 amounts unchanged from 2025 (no CPI adjustment; OMB M-26-11). Not an increase. Penalties are reduced for employer size, good faith, and clean history before assessment (FOM CPL 02-00-164 Ch.6). Use the calculator below for a realistic estimate.
Iowa Construction Enforcement (FY2025)
OSHA · FY2025Construction (NAICS 23) enforcement by Iowa OSHA (IOSH) for October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025.
286
Construction citations
88
Inspections with citations
$796,346
Penalties (current amounts)
Source: OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23 (Iowa, FY2025).
Work fatality rates in Iowa, 2024
5.2
fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries
12.5
per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, 9th highest of the 40 states BLS published
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries: fatal injury rates by state of incident and industry, all ownerships, 2024 . BLS computes state rates with CPS and LAUS data; they rank states against each other and are not compared here with the national hours-based rate.
Help and oversight in Iowa
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Iowa, the program is IOSHA Consultation Program (Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing). 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.
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Iowa OSHA Profile
- •Who enforces private construction: Iowa OSHA (IOSH) (State Plan).
- •Maximum penalties: $16,550 serious / $165,514 willful-repeat (federal), $16,550/dayfailure-to-abate.
- •To contest: Iowa OSHA (IOSH) runs its own contest and review process under state law; the deadline is on the citation.
- •FY2025 enforcement: 286 construction citations across 88 inspections ($796,346 in penalties).
Frequently-Cited OSHA Standards & Iowa Guides
Frequently-cited OSHA construction standards, each with a guide specific to Iowa (penalties, common violations, checklist).Where shown, citation counts are federal OSHA construction totals, national, FY2025. Iowa OSHA (IOSH) enforces its own equivalent requirements in Iowa.
- Fall Protection29 CFR 1926.5016,772 citations · $44,891,816 · federal national FY2025
- HazCom / GHS29 CFR 1910.1200698 citations · $984,054 · federal national FY2025
- Ladders (Construction)29 CFR 1926.10532,758 citations · $9,582,763 · federal national FY2025
- Scaffolding29 CFR 1926.4512,152 citations · $7,646,921 · federal national FY2025
- Respiratory Protection29 CFR 1910.134
- Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)29 CFR 1910.147
- Forklifts29 CFR 1910.178
- Stairways (Construction)29 CFR 1926.1052
- PPE General Requirements29 CFR 1910.132
- Confined Spaces29 CFR 1910.146
Construction trades inspected most in Iowa
Inspections of construction employers opened in Iowa from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, by the inspected employer's industry: 206 in all, federal OSHA and State Plan combined.
| Industry (2022 NAICS) | Inspections | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction | 51 | 24.8% |
| 238220 Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 24 | 11.7% |
| 238160 Roofing Contractors | 20 | 9.7% |
| 238130 Framing Contractors | 13 | 6.3% |
| 238210 Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 12 | 5.8% |
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. data.dol.gov · NAICS 2022, sector 23
FAQ: OSHA in Iowa
▸Is Iowa a federal OSHA or state-plan state?
Iowa is an OSHA-approved State Plan covering both private and public employers. Private-sector construction employers in this state answer to the state plan, not federal OSHA. Its standards must be at least as effective as federal OSHA, and some state plans set higher penalty maximums.
▸What are the maximum OSHA penalties in Iowa in 2026?
Iowa applies the federal civil-penalty amounts (29 CFR 1903.15): Serious violations carry up to $16,550 each (other-than-serious the same), and Willful or Repeat violations up to $165,514 each. Failure-to-Abate runs up to $16,550 per day. These 2026 amounts are unchanged from 2025 (no inflation adjustment).
▸Does Iowa have its own OSHA plan?
Yes. Iowa operates a full state plan administered by Iowa OSHA (IOSH), covering both private and public employers. State plans must be "at least as effective" as federal OSHA and may set higher penalties.
▸How many OSHA construction citations does Iowa see?
In FY2025 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025), OSHA construction inspections in Iowa produced 286 citations across 88 inspections, with $796,346 in penalties at current amounts (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23, Construction). Because Iowa runs its own State Plan, these are the state agency's own figures.
▸Did OSHA penalties go up in 2026 in Iowa?
No. The 2026 federal maximums are unchanged from 2025 because the required CPI adjustment was not published (OMB Memo M-26-11), so the 2025 amounts carry forward unchanged. 29 CFR 1903.15 identifies January 15, 2025 as the effective reference for these figures. Do not treat 2026 as an increase.
▸Which OSHA violations are cited most in Iowa construction?
Iowa OSHA (IOSH) cited 29 CFR 1926.651 most often in Iowa construction in FY2025, 28 times (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards). Nationally, federal OSHA cited fall protection (29 CFR 1926.501) most often in construction in FY2025, 6,772 times (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards).
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Sources & verification
- OSHA Penalties (osha.gov/penalties)
- OSHA State Plans (osha.gov/stateplans)
- 2026 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties
Penalty amounts and plan status were checked against OSHA sources on 2026-10-05. This page is general information, not legal advice. State plans set their own amounts and procedures; confirm current figures with Iowa OSHA (IOSH) before relying on them.
Get the Binder in Order Before the Inspector Arrives. Are You Ready?
OSHA does not give advance notice of inspections (29 CFR 1903.6). Get the binder in order before the opening conference, not during it.
Serious Violation
$16,550
per violation (max)
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