In Pennsylvania, 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 · Pennsylvania
HazCom / GHS Requirements in Pennsylvania
HazCom / GHS in Pennsylvania: 2026 penalties, who enforces 29 CFR 1910.1200, the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
PennsylvaniaGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)Federal OSHA Jurisdiction
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 25 times in Pennsylvania construction (2% of its construction citations there, the 11th most-cited standard there). The paragraph cited most was 1910.1200(h)(1) with 11 citations.
25
1910.1200 citations in Pennsylvania construction, FY2025
(h)(1)
paragraph cited most in Pennsylvania (11 citations)
11.9
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Pennsylvania, 2024 (BLS)
Federal OSHA in Pennsylvania: 29 CFR 1910.1200, FY2025
Counted · 2026-09-2625
citations of 29 CFR 1910.1200 in 16 inspections
$56,564
penalties, current amounts ($71,325 as first proposed)
2%
of the 1,245 federal construction citations in Pennsylvania
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) 25 times in inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers. It ranked 11th of the 79 standards cited in them. By classification: 21 serious, 4 other-than-serious. Most-cited paragraphs: 1910.1200(h)(1) (11), 1910.1200(e)(1) (6), 1910.1200(g)(8) (3).
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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania 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.
Local Emphasis Program for Health Hazards in Metal Fabrication
2023-14 (CPL 04) · Philadelphia Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“This Instruction applies to the Pittsburgh Area Office.”
Health hazards in metal fabrication are targeted through one office only: Pittsburgh. It is a good example of how narrow a local emphasis program can be: the same work in Philadelphia or Allentown is not inside this program, and a contractor should check the office rather than the state.
Regional Emphasis Program for the Oil and Gas Service Industry
2023-04 (CPL 04) · Philadelphia Regional Office · effective October 1, 2023
“This Instruction applies to the Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Charleston, West Virginia Area Offices.”
Oil and gas service work is programmed through five named offices: Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania, and Charleston in West Virginia. Well-site service work brings hazard communication, permit-required confined spaces and hazardous energy control into one inspection, which is why the same program appears against all three standards.
Harmful exposures and work deaths in Pennsylvania, 2024
Pennsylvania recorded 185 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 169 in 2023. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 22 of them (12%). Construction accounted for 48.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Pennsylvania, 2024
HazCom / GHS Cases in Pennsylvania
Zep Inc. (AFCO)
$161,310Chambersburg, Pennsylvania - chemical release · 2025
A July 2024 nitrogen dioxide release during chemical processing sent 12 workers to a local hospital for evaluation; two were admitted. OSHA cited the soap and detergent maker with one repeat, nine serious and two other-than-serious violations, finding that its hazard communication and respiratory protection programs did not meet federal requirements and that it had no emergency response plan. The proposed penalty was $161,310.
U.S. Department of Labor / OSHA news release, January 14, 2025How Pennsylvania Enforces 29 CFR 1910.1200
Pennsylvania 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.
In Pennsylvania, the FY2025 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 went most often to Roofing Contractors (5) and Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (4). 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 Pennsylvania
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Pennsylvania, the program is Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation. 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.
Pennsylvania consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Who inspects private employers here
Federal OSHA, from the Allentown Area Office (Center Valley), the Erie Area Office (Erie), the Harrisburg Area Office (Harrisburg), the Philadelphia Area Office (Philadelphia), the Pittsburgh Area Office (Pittsburgh) and the Wilkes-Barre Area Office (Wilkes-Barre).
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Pennsylvania 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) |
Pennsylvania 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).
Filing Tier II in Pennsylvania
The chemical list your HazCom program keeps is also what EPA's Tier II inventory is built from. Here is what Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Bureau of Occupational & Industrial Safety (PennSAFE) says about filing it:
- File online in PATTS, the Pennsylvania Tier II System; a filing through any other program does not meet Pennsylvania's requirements.
- The report and the fee are due by March 1.
- $10 per chemical reported at or over the threshold, paid by check or money order to the Pennsylvania Hazardous Materials Response Fund. Family farms, service stations, government-owned buildings and public water and wastewater plants are fee-exempt but still file.
HazComFast keeps each jobsite's chemical quantities next to its safety data sheets and exports the Tier II data as an Excel workbook, a CSV file and a PDF summary.
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 Pennsylvania: Federal OSHA inspects private construction employers; Pennsylvania 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.
Most-Cited HazCom / GHS Paragraphs in Pennsylvania, FY2025
Federal OSHA issued 25 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to Pennsylvania construction employers in FY2025. The paragraphs cited most, with the official text. A serious violation carries up to $16,550.
- 1
1910.1200(h)(1) 11 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 …”
- 2
1910.1200(e)(1) 6 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) …”
- 3
1910.1200(g)(8) 3 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(f)(6)(ii) 1 citation
“Product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals, and which, in conjunction with the other …”
- 5
1910.1200(g)(1) 1 citation
“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 …”
- 6
1910.1200(g)(11) 1 citation
“Safety data sheets shall also be made readily available, upon request, to designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary, and the Director, in accordance with the requirements of § 1910.1020(e).”
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
Pennsylvania Safety & Enforcement Profile
26,559
Federal construction citations (national, FY2025)
1,245 of them in Pennsylvania (HazComFast count)
Federal OSHA
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Pennsylvania, FY2025: Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (281), Roofing Contractors (257) and Framing Contractors (95), out of 1,354 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Cited most under 29 CFR 1910.1200 in Pennsylvania, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (5), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (4) and Masonry Contractors (4), of 25 citations.
- Construction fatality rate in Pennsylvania, 2024: 11.9 per 100,000 full-time workers, 10th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 3.1).
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 HazCom / GHS Compliance Tools
HazCom / GHS FAQ for Pennsylvania
Which Pennsylvania construction trades are cited most under HazCom / GHS?
In FY2025, federal OSHA issued 25 citations under 29 CFR 1910.1200 to Pennsylvania construction employers, most often to Roofing Contractors (5), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (4) and Masonry Contractors (4) (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data, by the cited employer's NAICS industry). Federal OSHA inspects these employers directly, since Pennsylvania has no state plan covering the private sector. For context, federal OSHA issued 1,245 citations across 546 inspections of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania jobsites?
OSHA's cited-standards tool does not break Pennsylvania out, but the Labor Department's enforcement data do: in FY2025, federal OSHA issued 1,245 citations across 546 inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers, 25 of them under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazComFast count). A HazCom / GHS citation in Pennsylvania can come from any inspection: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Pennsylvania's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces Hazard Communication (1910.1200) in Pennsylvania?
Federal OSHA. Pennsylvania has no State Plan, so a U.S. Department of Labor compliance officer enforces 1910.1200 directly across general industry and construction, at the federal penalty maximums. 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. In the Zep/AFCO case, OSHA found the hazard communication program did not meet federal requirements, alongside respiratory protection and emergency-response failures.
When do Pennsylvania employers have to update for the 2024 HazCom Standard?
Private employers in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Pennsylvania is Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation. 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 do I file the EPCRA Tier II chemical inventory in Pennsylvania?
File online in PATTS, the Pennsylvania Tier II System; a filing through any other program does not meet Pennsylvania's requirements. The report and the fee are due by March 1. $10 per chemical reported at or over the threshold, paid by check or money order to the Pennsylvania Hazardous Materials Response Fund. Family farms, service stations, government-owned buildings and public water and wastewater plants are fee-exempt but still file.
How often does federal OSHA cite 29 CFR 1910.1200 in Pennsylvania construction?
In FY2025, federal OSHA cited 29 CFR 1910.1200 (HazCom / GHS) 25 times in 16 inspections of Pennsylvania construction employers, with $56,564 in penalties at current amounts ($71,325 as first proposed), 2% of the 1,245 citations those inspections produced. It ranked 11th of the 79 standards cited. (HazComFast count from U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement data, retrieved 2026-09-26.)
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 Pennsylvania
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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