What is the average fine for a “serious” violation? What are some examples of “serious” violations?

A Serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. Examples cited as Serious include failure to enclose electrical boxes, using a damaged ladder, and failing to train forklift operators. It is up to the OSHA CSHO (working within the guidelines spelled out in the Field Operations Manual (FOM)) to classify the violation given all the pertinent facts. OSHA does not have a defined list of violations that would be considered Serious or Other-Than-Serious. A slight variation in time, exposure, knowledge of the hazard by the employer, location, etc., could make the difference. And, to some degree it is subjective.

Additionally, it’s really hard to describe an average fine for a Serious violation, as there are a lot of factors that go into the determination of final penalties (including size of company, good faith, and history). Beyond that, OSHA actually uses a gravity-based system to assess the initial penalty; this factors in probability and severity of the specific situation (e.g., number of employees exposed).