Connecticut — Workplace Safety

Connecticut operates a public-employer-only state OSHA plan under Chapter 571 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Division (CONN-OSHA), part of the Connecticut Department of Labor, enforces occupational safety and health standards for all state and municipal employees. Private-sector employers in Connecticut remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction. The plan adopts all federal OSHA standards applicable to public-sector operations.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 571; 29 C.F.R. § 1952.23

Connecticut municipalities and state agencies must report work-related fatalities to CONN-OSHA within 8 hours of the death. In-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours of the incident. These reporting obligations apply to all public-sector employers covered by CONN-OSHA, regardless of the number of employees. Private-sector employers in Connecticut report to federal OSHA under the same timeframes. In-patient hospitalization means a formal admission to the in-patient service of a hospital or clinic for care or treatment; emergency-room-only treatment is not reportable.

Source: Conn. DOL, Report a Fatality or Catastrophe; 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39

Connecticut's CONN-OSHA (covering public-sector employers) applies the federal OSHA reporting exceptions for certain vehicle and transportation incidents—the same as those found in 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39(b)(6)-(10)—without any state-specific carve-outs.

Federal exceptions incorporated by reference:

• Under 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39(b)(6)-(10), employers do NOT have to report fatalities or hospitalizations resulting from:
• Motor-vehicle accidents occurring on public streets or highways, unless they are in a construction work zone.
• Incidents involving commercial or public transportation systems (such as buses, subways, trains, airplanes, or ferries).
• Hospital admissions solely for diagnostic testing or observation, where no treatment is provided.

Connecticut's adoption:

• CONN-OSHA adopts federal Part 1904 standards in full for public-sector workplaces (with only minor exceptions not affecting these categories). Connecticut's Department of Labor expressly states public-sector employers are not required to report highway or motor vehicle accidents unless they occur in a construction zone, or commercial air, boat, train, subway, or bus accidents—tracking the federal language.

• The state's official recordkeeping guidelines confirm these same exceptions: "You are not required to report highway or motor vehicle accidents unless they are in a construction zone, nor commercial airplane, boat, train, subway, or bus accidents."

Result for practitioners:

• Public-sector employers in Connecticut do NOT have to report fatalities or hospitalizations that are excepted from reporting under 29 C.F.R. § 1904.39(b)(6)-(10). This covers: most motor vehicle crashes on public roads (not in active work zones), commercial/public transportation incidents, and hospitalizations solely for diagnostic purposes.

Source: CONN-OSHA Recordkeeping Guidelines (Department of Labor) Source: Connecticut Division of CONN-OSHA — Recordkeeping and Occupational Safety and Health Standards

All Connecticut public-sector employers—that is, any agency or office of state or local government—are required to maintain OSHA injury and illness records using Forms 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses), 300A (Summary), and 301 (Incident Report), as set out in 29 C.F.R. Part 1904. Conn-OSHA, which only covers public-sector workplaces, adopts the federal recordkeeping standard in full, without any size or industry exemptions. This is a critical departure from the federal OSHA regime, which partially exempts private-sector employers in designated low-hazard industries or with 10 or fewer employees. In Connecticut’s public sector, all units of government must comply—there is no small-employer or industry exception under Conn-OSHA.

Recordkeeping Requirements:

• Complete OSHA Form 300 for each qualifying work-related injury or illness within 7 calendar days of learning about the case (29 C.F.R. § 1904.29(b)(3)).
• Complete Form 301 or equivalent for every recordable case (29 C.F.R. § 1904.29(b)(2)).
• Post the annual summary (Form 300A) in a conspicuous location from February 1 through April 30 (29 C.F.R. § 1904.32).
• Retain all forms for five years following the year they cover and make them available for CONN-OSHA review and for employee or union inspection (29 C.F.R. § 1904.33; § 1904.35–.36).

No Exemptions: Connecticut’s Department of Labor makes clear in its official recordkeeping guidelines and fact sheets: the exceptions for small size or low-hazard industry (listed in 29 C.F.R. § 1904.1 and .2) do NOT apply to entities covered by Conn-OSHA. Public-sector agencies of any size or function must maintain records and be prepared to provide them if requested by CONN-OSHA.

Source: CONN-OSHA Recordkeeping Guidelines (Department of Labor) Source: OSHA-approved Connecticut State Plan description (osha.gov) Source: 29 C.F.R. Part 1904

Connecticut public-sector employers that receive a citation or penalty from CONN-OSHA (the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Division) have a tightly-structured process for appeal. (For a parallel summary, see the section 'Contesting a CONN-OSHA citation — procedure, deadline, and Review Commission process' below.)

Notice of Contest — 15 Working Day Deadline: To contest a citation, penalty, or abatement period, a public employer—or, separately, an affected employee or their representative—must file a written "notice of contest." This notice must be postmarked or personally delivered to the Commissioner of Labor within fifteen (15) working days after receipt of the citation ("working days" exclude weekends and state holidays). Failure to file within this window makes the citation, penalty, or abatement period a final order not subject to judicial or agency review (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-377(a)).

Role of the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission: Upon timely filing of a notice of contest, the case is referred to the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (Review Commission). This independent body consists of three members appointed by the Governor. The Review Commission must provide an opportunity for a hearing and has authority to affirm, modify, or vacate citations and penalties. The Commission is required by statute to act promptly—issuing its decision within 120 days after notice of hearing (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-376). Its final determination is subject to appeal to the Connecticut courts under Chapter 54 of the Connecticut General Statutes (the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act).

Summary Timeline:

• 15 working days: Employer/employee must contest citation in writing
• Post-contest: Review Commission holds hearing, issues order within 120 days
• Commission decisions may be appealed to Connecticut Superior Court

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-377 Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-376

Connecticut's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CONN-OSHA) assesses civil and criminal penalties for violations under Chapter 571 of the Connecticut General Statutes. These penalties apply only to public-sector employers (state and municipal workplaces) covered by CONN-OSHA—private employers in Connecticut remain under federal OSHA penalty rules.

Civil penalties under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 571 (including 2024 amendments):

• Willful or repeated violations: Up to $10,000 per violation. This is for repeated violations, or those committed willfully or knowingly disregarding the law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-382(a)).
• Serious violations: Up to $1,000 per violation (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-382(b)(1)). "Serious" means there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, unless the employer did not and could not know of the violation (see § 31-378).
• Other-than-serious violations: Up to $1,000 per violation (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-382(b)(2)), with a material update for certain public employers:
• Effective 2024: For volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance companies, the first violation of an other-than-serious category results in a written warning only—not a monetary penalty—per the 2024 amendment to § 31-382(c). Subsequent violations may result in a fine of up to $1,000 per day.
• Failure to correct/abatement: Up to $1,000 per day for each day the violation continues after the allowed correction period (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-382(c)). This is subject to the new written warning rule above for volunteer organizations on first OTS violations.

These maximums remain below current federal OSHA civil penalty caps (federal OSHA as of 2025: $16,550 per serious/OTS violation, $165,514 per willful/repeat violation). CONN-OSHA penalty authority is set by statute and does not increase annually for inflation as federal penalties do.

Criminal penalties under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 571:

• Willful violation causing death of an employee: First conviction—up to $10,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both. Subsequent conviction—up to $20,000 or one year in prison, or both (§ 31-382(e)).
• Advance notice of inspection, without authority: Up to $1,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both (§ 31-382(g)).
• False statements, records, or reports: Up to $10,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both (§ 31-382(f)).
• Obstruction of inspection (refusal of entry): Up to $1,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment, or both (§ 31-382(h)).
• Willfully causing bodily harm to a CONN-OSHA inspector: Up to $10,000 fine or one year imprisonment, or both (§ 31-382(i)).
• Violation of confidentiality (§ 31-381): Up to $1,000 fine or one year imprisonment, or both (§ 31-382(j)).

Summary: Connecticut’s maximum CONN-OSHA penalties remain much lower than federal OSHA maximums and are fixed in statute. The 2024 amendment creates an exception for first other-than-serious violations by volunteer fire and ambulance organizations—penalty is a written warning rather than a fine.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-382 Source: 2024 Conn. Pub. Act No. 24-XX, amending § 31-382(c) Source: OSHA penalty amounts as of January 2025

Connecticut public-sector employers (state and municipal agencies) are covered by the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Act, enforced by CONN-OSHA. The statute and official guidance from the Connecticut Department of Labor set out the following maximum civil penalties for workplace safety violations:

• Serious violations (those where a hazard could likely result in death or serious physical harm): up to $1,000 per violation.
• Other-than-serious violations (violations that do not have a substantial probability of causing death or serious harm): up to $1,000 per violation.
• Failure-to-abate violations (when an employer does not correct a cited hazard by the required abatement date): up to $1,000 per day that the violation continues beyond the deadline.
• Willful or repeated violations: up to $10,000 per violation for willful (intentional disregard or plain indifference) or repeated instances.

Unlike the federal OSHA regime (which annually adjusts penalty maximums for inflation), Connecticut’s penalty caps are fixed by state statute and do not currently increase on a scheduled basis. These statutory maximums are reflected on the state’s required "Job Safety & Health Protection" poster (DOL-74, last revised December 2023).

Source: Connecticut Job Safety & Health Protection poster (DOL-74, rev. 12/23)

Connecticut public-sector employers who receive a citation or penalty from CONN-OSHA (the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Division) have a defined process to contest these actions under state law.

Filing a Notice of Contest — 15 Working Days: A public employer or any affected employee (or their representative) must file a written "notice of contest" with the Commissioner of Labor to dispute any citation, proposed penalty, or abatement period. The law requires this notice be postmarked or personally delivered within fifteen (15) working days after receiving the citation. Working days exclude weekends and state holidays. If an employer does not file within that period, the citation (including any proposed penalty or abatement order) becomes a final order and cannot later be contested, either administratively or in court (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-377(a)).

Proceedings Before the Review Commission: When a timely notice of contest is filed, the matter is transmitted to the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This Commission, an independent administrative body of three members appointed by the Governor, adjudicates all contested cases. The Review Commission provides a hearing, after which it may affirm, modify, or vacate the citation or penalty. The Commission must issue its determination within 120 days after the notice of hearing is provided to the parties. The Review Commission’s decision is a final order, subject to judicial review in the Connecticut Superior Court under Chapter 54 of the Connecticut General Statutes (the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act) (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 31-376, 31-377).

Summary of steps:

• File notice of contest within 15 working days to the Commissioner of Labor.
• Employer, employee, or representative can contest.
• If timely, case goes before the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
• Commission must hold a hearing and decide within 120 days after the notice of hearing.
• Commission decisions can be appealed to the Connecticut courts.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-377 Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-376

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