OSHA Penalties by State
OSHA Penalties in Oklahoma (2026)
Oklahoma is under federal OSHA jurisdiction, with no State Plan. 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
Oklahoma is directly under federal OSHA, with no approved state plan. Federal OSHA inspects and cites employers in this state, and the federal civil-penalty amounts apply directly. 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 Oklahoma federal OSHA or a state plan?
Oklahoma is a federal OSHA state. It has no approved state plan, so federal OSHA enforces directly.
Federal OSHA inspects and cites employers in this state, and the federal civil-penalty amounts apply directly.
29 CFR 190229 approved state plans
Compare all 29 plans, their agencies and their penalty caps on the OSHA State Plans hub.
Chemical inventory reporting (EPCRA Tier II) in Oklahoma
Due to the DEQ by March 1; the DEQ passes the reports to the LEPCs and fire departments.
Oklahoma Tier II: filing system, deadline and fees, in the state's own words
Oklahoma Penalty Rates (2026)
Per-violation civil penalties. Oklahoma 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.
Oklahoma Construction Enforcement (FY2025)
DOL data · counted 2026-09-26Federal OSHA inspections of Oklahoma construction employers (NAICS 23), October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025. OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break federal-OSHA states out; these are HazComFast's counts from the Labor Department's enforcement data.
394
Construction citations
199
Inspections with citations
$1,509,663
Penalties (current amounts); $2,327,066 as first proposed
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 National reference: 26,559 federal construction citations (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, FY2025).
What federal OSHA cites most in Oklahoma construction
The ten standards cited most often in federal OSHA inspections of Oklahoma construction employers, FY2025 (394 citations across 38 standards). Section titles are the official eCFR headings.
| Rank | Standard | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 1926.501 Duty to have fall protectionSubpart M: Fall Protection | 127 | 32.2% |
| #2 | 1926.1053 LaddersSubpart X: Stairways and Ladders | 59 | 15% |
| #3 | 1926.451 General requirementsSubpart L: Scaffolds | 40 | 10.2% |
| #4 | 1926.651 Specific excavation requirementsSubpart P: Excavations | 31 | 7.9% |
| #5 | 1926.652 Requirements for protective systemsSubpart P: Excavations | 22 | 5.6% |
| #6 | 1926.453 Aerial liftsSubpart L: Scaffolds | 19 | 4.8% |
| #7 | 1926.1153 Respirable crystalline silicaSubpart Z: Toxic and Hazardous Substances | 14 | 3.6% |
| #8 | 1926.100 Head protectionSubpart E: Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment | 12 | 3% |
| #9 | 1910.134 Respiratory protectionSubpart I: Personal Protective Equipment | 10 | 2.5% |
| #10 | 1926.503 Training requirementsSubpart M: Fall Protection | 8 | 2% |
How Oklahoma compares with federal OSHA nationwide
1.98
citations per inspection (national: 2.46)
6.9%
of citations classified repeat (national: 8.7%); none willful
−35.1%
penalties now vs. as first proposed (national: −22.5%)
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). Classifications and penalty amounts are as recorded to date; open cases can still change them. data.dol.gov
Work fatality rates in Oklahoma, 2024
4.1
fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, all industries
9.0
per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, 22nd 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 Oklahoma
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Oklahoma, the program is Safety Saves OSHA Consultation Services (Oklahoma Department of Labor – OSHA Division). 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 Oklahoma City Area Office (Oklahoma City).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Oklahoma OSHA Profile
- •Who enforces private construction: Federal OSHA, no State Plan.
- •Maximum penalties: $16,550 serious / $165,514 willful-repeat (federal), $16,550/dayfailure-to-abate.
- •To contest: under 29 CFR 1903.17(a), the notice of contest must be postmarked within 15 working days of receiving the citation and proposed penalty.
- •Federal FY2025: 394 construction citations in Oklahoma across 199 inspections ($1,509,663 in penalties, HazComFast count); 26,559 nationwide.
Frequently-Cited OSHA Standards & Oklahoma Guides
Frequently-cited OSHA construction standards, each with a guide specific to Oklahoma (penalties, common violations, checklist).The first count is federal OSHA's in Oklahoma (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data); the second, where shown, is the national federal construction total from OSHA's tool, FY2025. These apply directly to private construction in Oklahoma.
- Fall Protection29 CFR 1926.501127 federal citations in Oklahoma · most-cited there · FY20256,772 citations · $44,891,816 · federal national FY2025
- HazCom / GHS29 CFR 1910.12003 federal citations in Oklahoma · #13 there · FY2025698 citations · $984,054 · federal national FY2025
- Ladders (Construction)29 CFR 1926.105359 federal citations in Oklahoma · #2 there · FY20252,758 citations · $9,582,763 · federal national FY2025
- Scaffolding29 CFR 1926.45140 federal citations in Oklahoma · #3 there · FY20252,152 citations · $7,646,921 · federal national FY2025
- Respiratory Protection29 CFR 1910.13410 federal citations in Oklahoma · #9 there · FY2025
- Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)29 CFR 1910.147
- Forklifts29 CFR 1910.178
- Stairways (Construction)29 CFR 1926.10522 federal citations in Oklahoma · #16 there · FY2025
- PPE General Requirements29 CFR 1910.132
- Confined Spaces29 CFR 1910.146
Construction trades inspected most in Oklahoma
Inspections of construction employers opened in Oklahoma from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, by the inspected employer's industry: 322 in all, federal OSHA and State Plan combined.
| Industry (2022 NAICS) | Inspections | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 238160 Roofing Contractors | 100 | 31.1% |
| 238130 Framing Contractors | 50 | 15.5% |
| 236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction | 35 | 10.9% |
| 238140 Masonry Contractors | 18 | 5.6% |
| 237110 Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction | 17 | 5.3% |
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 Oklahoma
▸Is Oklahoma a federal OSHA or state-plan state?
Oklahoma is directly under federal OSHA, with no approved state plan. Federal OSHA inspects and cites employers in this state, and the federal civil-penalty amounts apply directly.
▸What are the maximum OSHA penalties in Oklahoma in 2026?
Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma have its own OSHA plan?
No. Oklahoma has no state plan (federal OSHA); federal OSHA enforces all covered employers and the federal penalty amounts apply.
▸How many OSHA construction citations does Oklahoma see?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break out federal-OSHA states like Oklahoma, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do. In FY2025, federal OSHA inspections of Oklahoma construction employers produced 394 citations across 199 inspections, with $1,509,663 in penalties at current amounts ($2,327,066 as first proposed). That is a HazComFast count; nationally, federal OSHA construction inspections produced 26,559 citations (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23).
▸Did OSHA penalties go up in 2026 in Oklahoma?
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 Oklahoma construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1926.501 (Duty to have fall protection) most often in Oklahoma construction, 127 times, followed by 29 CFR 1926.1053 (59) and 29 CFR 1926.451 (40) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). 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 OSHA before relying on them.
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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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