What Is an OSHA Violation?
An OSHA violation is a citation issued after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration finds that an employer failed to meet a workplace safety or health requirement. Violations can lead to penalties, corrective action, and follow-up compliance needs.
OSHA violations are typically issued after an inspection. Inspectors review worksite conditions, policies, equipment, training, and records to determine whether standards were met.
If OSHA finds a problem, the agency may issue one or more citations tied to specific standards or general duty obligations.
Violation categories often include serious, repeat, willful, and other-than-serious findings. The category affects how the record is interpreted and can influence the penalty amount.
Consultants, training providers, and brokers often use these categories as signals for urgency and outreach prioritization.
A recent OSHA citation can signal that a company needs consulting, employee training, corrective action planning, or risk-management support.
That is why enforcement data is often used for lead generation, account research, and compliance monitoring.
Frequently asked questions
No. An inspection is the event; a violation is the citation or finding that can result from that inspection.
Many OSHA inspection and citation records are available through the U.S. Department of Labor's public enforcement data.
Service providers use it to identify companies that may need compliance support, training, or insurance-related guidance after a citation.