In Washington, a serious HazCom / GHS violation 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 Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH), under WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020) rather than 29 CFR 1910.1200.
29 CFR 1910.1200 · Washington
HazCom / GHS Requirements in Washington
HazCom / GHS in Washington: 2026 penalties, who enforces WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), the paragraphs cited and free tools.
Verified vs OSHA sources · 2026-10-05
WashingtonGeneral Industry (29 CFR 1910)State Plan: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH)
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) enforces Washington's own rule on this subject, WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), rather than 29 CFR 1910.1200, and the state rule differs from the federal text. The federal maximum for a serious violation is $16,550.
698
federal construction citations under 1910.1200, nationwide, FY2025
(e)(1)
paragraph federal OSHA cited most nationwide (262 citations)
6.3
fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time workers in construction, Washington, 2024 (BLS)
What Washington's own rule says
“Employers, chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors evaluating substances must be in compliance with all provisions of this section no later than July 20, 2026.”
Washington adopted the 2024 Hazard Communication amendments on December 30, 2025, effective February 1, 2026, but it adopted the calendar as it stood before OSHA pushed the federal dates back four months. So the deadlines run earlier here than in a federal-jurisdiction state: substances July 20, 2026 against the federal November 20, 2026; mixtures July 19, 2027 for manufacturers and January 19, 2028 for employers, against November 19, 2027 and May 19, 2028. A Washington employer working from the federal calendar is not early. It is past due on substances. The classification, labeling, SDS and training duties themselves are the federal ones, restated in Washington's own numbering, and construction is squarely inside it: WAC 296-155-180 sends contractors to 296-901-14010 for the written program.
WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020)The duty itself differs from the federal text.
Harmful exposures and work deaths in Washington, 2024
Washington recorded 102 fatal work injuries in 2024, up from 97 in 2023. Exposure to harmful substances or environments caused 25 of them (25%). Construction accounted for 16.
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, Washington, 2024
How Washington Enforces HazCom / GHS
Washington runs an OSHA-approved State Plan administered by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH), which covers private-sector construction. Its compliance officers enforce Washington's own standards, which must be at least as effective as federal OSHA's and may go further. On this subject the rule is WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), which differs from the federal text (see the state rule above). Washington applies the federal penalty maximums.
A single inspection can produce several per-instance citations. Recurring self-audits against WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), before an officer arrives, are the most reliable defense.
Help and oversight in Washington
Free, confidential help: OSHA On-Site Consultation
In Washington, the program is Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Washington Department of Labor & Industries). 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.
Washington consultation program · OSHA consultation directory
Read on osha.gov and the state's official statute site, September 26, 2026.
Washington Penalty Amounts for HazCom / GHS (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) |
Washington applies the federal OSHA maximums. Amounts are ceilings per violation. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) computes proposed penalties under its own State Plan procedures.
Filing Tier II in Washington
The chemical list your HazCom program keeps is also what EPA's Tier II inventory is built from. Here is what Washington Department of Ecology says about filing it:
- File in Tier Two Online, through a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account; filing there also covers the SERC.
- Due March 1 every year.
- There is no fee to 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 Under the Federal Standard 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 Washington: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) inspects private employers, construction included, under an OSHA-approved State Plan. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) can add requirements beyond the federal standard above, so check its own rules as well.
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, Federal OSHA Nationwide
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) enforces the state's own rule on this subject, WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), so no Washington count under 29 CFR 1910.1200 is shown here. For reference, the paragraphs federal OSHA cited most in construction nationwide in FY2025:
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
Washington Safety & Enforcement Profile
5,445
FY2025 construction citations
Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH)
Enforces private construction
- Construction trades inspected most in Washington, FY2025: Roofing Contractors (348), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (312) and Residential Remodelers (255), out of 2,083 inspections opened (federal OSHA and State Plan combined).
- Construction fatality rate in Washington, 2024: 6.3 per 100,000 full-time workers, 36th highest of the 40 states BLS published (all industries: 2.8).
- Washington's outdoor heat exposure rule (WAC 296-62-095 through 296-62-09560) applies to all employers with employees performing work in an outdoor environment. It has been in force since July 5, 2008, and was last amended effective July 17, 2023. (WAC 296-62-09510 (WSR 08-12-109; WSR 23-14-042))
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 Washington
Which Washington construction trades are inspected most?
The construction trades inspected most in Washington in FY2025 were Roofing Contractors (348), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (312) and Residential Remodelers (255), out of 2,083 inspections opened, federal OSHA and State Plan combined (HazComFast count from Labor Department enforcement data). Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) inspects these employers directly and may apply requirements beyond the federal standard. For context, Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH) issued 5,445 construction citations across 1,487 inspections in FY2025. Companies in these trades should self-audit against WAC 296-901-140 (effective dates at 296-901-14020), Washington's own rule on this subject.
How often is HazCom / GHS cited on Washington jobsites?
In FY2025, Washington's state plan (Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I DOSH)) issued 5,445 construction citations across 1,487 inspections (OSHA Frequently Cited Standards, NAICS 23). HazCom / GHS can be cited during any of them: programmed, complaint-driven or post-accident. Washington's fatality figures are shown above.
Who enforces Hazard Communication in Washington?
WISHA, Washington's OSHA-approved State Plan, enforced by L&I's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), not federal OSHA. Washington enforces HazCom under Chapter 296-901 WAC rather than the federal 1910.1200. 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.
Does Washington follow the GHS labeling system?
Yes. Chapter 296-901 WAC is Washington's hazard communication rule. Washington adopted the 2024 federal amendments on December 30, 2025, effective February 1, 2026, but kept the compliance calendar as it stood before OSHA moved the federal dates back four months: the substances deadline is July 20, 2026, against the federal November 20, 2026.
Can I get free OSHA help in Washington without an inspection?
Yes. OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program in Washington is Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Washington Department of Labor & Industries). 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 Washington?
File in Tier Two Online, through a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account; filing there also covers the SERC. Due March 1 every year. There is no fee to file.
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
18 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 Washington
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.
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)
VS
HazComFast Pro
$199/mo
10 jobsites, unlimited chemicals, unlimited workers
New sign-ups are paused. The free tools below need no account, and customers can log in as usual.
Your account keeps working as usual. Cancel anytime.