OSHA Rule Changes Log: What Changed, What Is Coming, Updated Monthly

A running log of changes to the federal OSHA standards, state-plan rules and penalty figures that forklift, MEWP, LOTO, HazCom and other safety certifications depend on, with the dates ahead. Reviewed on the first of each month.

This page tracks the rules behind Shield Certificates’ courses, certificates, free record tools and state guides: federal 29 CFR 1910 and 1926, the eight OSHA State Plan and federal states we publish guides for, the consensus standards our certificates cite, and the penalty figures that change every January and July. It is reviewed on the first of each month against the Federal Register, the OSHA newsroom and each state agency’s own site, and updated the same day when something changes. Last reviewed October 29, 2026. If a figure on another Shield page disagrees with this one, this page is newer; tell us at support@shieldcerts.com and we will fix the other page.

Dates Ahead

• November 20, 2026: employer compliance date for the 2024 Hazard Communication Standard update (GHS Revision 7) for substances. Workplaces must have updated labels, safety data sheets and employee training for substances by this date. Mixtures follow on May 19, 2028 (29 CFR 1910.1200, final rule of May 20, 2024).
• Mid-January 2027: federal OSHA’s annual inflation adjustment to maximum penalties, published in the Federal Register and on osha.gov/penalties. Minnesota’s maximums follow federal by statute.
• January 2027: Cal/OSHA, Oregon OSHA and Washington L&I publish their own penalty adjustments (Cal/OSHA by DIR news release, Oregon as penalty bulletin 5632, Washington by WSR filing).
• July 1, 2027: North Carolina’s annual penalty adjustment under G.S. 95-138(a1).
• Pending: Michigan bills to raise MIOSHA’s statutory maximums ($7,000 serious, $70,000 willful) to the federal level. Introduced in the 2024 and 2025 sessions; not enacted as of this review.

Current Penalty Figures at a Glance

Change Log

October 2026

• No new federal rule, interpretation or penalty change affecting forklift (1910.178), MEWP (1926.453, 1910.67), lockout/tagout (1910.147), overhead crane (1910.179), confined space (1910.146), fall protection, scaffolding, excavation or HazCom (1910.1200) training requirements this month.
• State verification completed for the eight forklift state guides (California, Texas, Florida, Washington, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Minnesota). Figures in the table above are as published by each agency on the dates shown. Notable confirmations: Cal/OSHA’s serious maximum ($25,000) remains above federal; Oregon’s 2026 bulletin adds fatality tiers up to $272,058; Michigan’s statutory maximums remain $7,000 and $70,000; Washington’s 2026 base penalties rose 4.92 percent.
• HazCom: the November 20, 2026 substances compliance date is unchanged. Shield’s HazCom/GHS course and the HazCom deadline guide reflect the 2024 rule.
• New on Shield: four free record tools (forklift certification record, MEWP training record, overhead crane operator designation record, LOTO training certification) and the eight state guides linked below.

January 2026

• Federal OSHA maximum penalties adjusted for inflation: $16,550 per serious, other-than-serious or posting violation; $16,550 per day for failure to abate; $165,514 per willful or repeated violation. Applies to penalties assessed after January 15, 2026.
• Oregon OSHA penalty bulletin 5632-2026 effective January 1, 2026: serious $1,214 to $17,004; repeat and willful $12,147 to $170,046; fatality tiers $21,765 to $54,412 (serious) and $54,412 to $272,058 (repeat or willful).
• Washington L&I base penalties adjusted 4.92 percent effective January 15, 2026 (WSR 26-03-048): serious base $1,070 to $7,491.

2025 and earlier (still in force)

• July 1, 2025: North Carolina penalty adjustment, $16,550 serious and $165,514 willful or repeat, with a $29,000 maximum for violations involving workers under 18.
• January 1, 2025: Cal/OSHA penalty adjustment, $25,000 serious, $162,851 willful or repeat, $16,285 general and regulatory.
• May 20, 2024: OSHA final rule updating the Hazard Communication Standard to GHS Revision 7, with compliance dates of November 20, 2026 (substances) and May 19, 2028 (mixtures).
• Minnesota Statutes 182.666 subd. 6a (2023): MNOSHA maximum penalties automatically match federal amounts.

Standards Editions Shield Courses and Certificates Are Written To

When a standards body publishes a new edition, the requirement for employers usually does not change until OSHA incorporates it by reference or an inspector cites it under the General Duty Clause, but the edition year printed on a certificate should be current. New editions are logged above when they appear.

Frequently asked questions

How often is this page updated?

It is reviewed on the first of every month against the Federal Register, the OSHA newsroom, OSHA letters of interpretation, the standards bodies listed above, and each of the eight state agencies’ own sites. Changes are posted the same day; months with nothing to report get a one-line entry so you can tell the review happened.

Does a penalty change affect my certificate?

No. Penalties change what a violation costs, not what the training rule requires. Certificates are affected only when a training requirement or a cited standard edition changes, which is logged separately above.

Does the HazCom deadline change my training?

Employees must be trained on the updated label elements and safety data sheet format before they work with newly labeled substances, and by November 20, 2026 for substances in any case. Shield’s HazCom/GHS course covers the 2024 format; if your crew trained before 2024 on the old format, retrain before the deadline.

Where do I read the actual rule text?

Federal standards are on osha.gov under Laws and Regulations. Each state guide linked below cites the state code sections with links to the state’s own site. We cite the agency, never a training vendor, for every figure on this page.

State forklift certification guides

• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Washington
• Michigan
• North Carolina
• Oregon
• Minnesota

Free record tools

• Forklift certification record
• MEWP training record
• Overhead crane operator record
• LOTO training certification

Sources: OSHA penalties in effect after January 15, 2026; Federal Register, May 20, 2024: Hazard Communication Standard final rule; DIR news release: Cal/OSHA penalty amounts for 2025; Oregon OSHA 2026 penalty bulletin; Washington WSR 26-03-048, 2026 penalty adjustment; NCDOL press release, July 2, 2025: civil penalty structure; MNOSHA Compliance: inspections, citations and penalties; MCL 408.1035, MIOSHA civil penalties; OSHA State Plans

Every Shield course is reviewed against this log each month. Certificates cite the standard editions above.

Related guides

• The PPE Requirement Most Employers Miss: The Written Hazard Assessment
• Fire Extinguisher Classes Explained: A, B, C, D, K
• Recordable vs. Reportable: What OSHA Actually Requires You to Do
• OSHA’s General Duty Clause: The Rule That Applies When No Other Rule Does
• Free checklist: Workplace Safety Fundamentals Toolbox Talk Template
• Free checklist: Employee Certification Tracking Log