New York employers were written up 1,709 times under federal OSHA's Hazard Communication standard between 2021 and 2025, racking up about $1.35 million in penalties, according to a new nationwide enforcement review. The state's HazCom citation rate, roughly 4.2 violations per 100,000 workers, comes in below the national average, and construction sites took the hardest hit.
The state figures come from a coast-to-coast breakdown of OSHA enforcement records compiled by Trace One, which examined Hazard Communication cases from 2021 through 2025. Across the country, investigators logged 36,984 HazCom citations in that span, or about 5.6 violations per 100,000 workers. The report maps out totals, fine amounts and the most common chemical-safety missteps by state and industry.
For New York, LongIsland reports that employers drew 1,709 HazCom violations between 2021 and 2025, with penalties reaching approximately $1,346,145 and a per-worker rate near 4.2 per 100,000. The outlet notes that construction was the industry most frequently cited for Hazard Communication failures in the state.
Why Chemical-Safety Rules Still Trip Up Employers
Trace One's analysis flags a familiar lineup of problem areas. Employers fall short when Safety Data Sheets, or SDS, are missing or out of date, when containers go unlabeled and when employee training leaves people in the dark about what they are handling. The firm argues that centralized SDS management and tighter inventory controls are among the most effective ways to keep those gaps from opening up.
Companies that juggle long lists of chemical suppliers or operate multiple facilities often face the steepest paperwork and labeling burdens. When labels, sheets and training do not keep up with what is actually on the shop floor or jobsite, even well-intentioned employers can wind up on the wrong side of HazCom requirements.
Penalties and Enforcement
New York’s five-year total in HazCom fines may look modest at first glance, yet multiple citations at the same site can quickly multiply both financial and operational pain. OSHA civil penalties are adjusted every year, and the Department of Labor’s 2025 inflation-adjustment rule, published by OSHA, set the maximum penalty for a serious violation at $16,550 and raised the cap for willful or repeated violations to $165,514.
What Employers and Workers Should Do
To keep HazCom trouble to a minimum, employers are urged to keep a current inventory of all workplace chemicals, make sure SDSs are easy to find at every worksite, use clear labels on every container and document regular training that covers real-world tasks. Those basics may not be glamorous, but they are often what separate a clean inspection from an expensive citation.
Workers, for their part, have a right to know what they are exposed to and to receive training under the Hazard Communication standard. If they believe chemical hazards are being ignored, they can reach out to OSHA directly or work through their union to push for fixes.
