How much is the OSHA fine for a combustible dust violation in manufacturing?
Quick answer: A single serious OSHA combustible dust citation carries a statutory maximum of $16,550 (willful or repeat violations reach $165,514). For a 45-employee manufacturing company at a 7% net profit margin, that's about $9,930 after the small-employer reduction — and roughly $141,857 in new revenue just to break even.
The numbers
Statutory max — serious citation
$16,550
Statutory max — willful / repeat
$165,514
Estimated fine — 45 employees (after 40% reduction)
$9,930
Revenue to break even — at 7% net margin
$141,857
Because fines are paid out of profit, a $9,930 citation forces a 7%-margin company to earn $141,857 in new revenue just to get back to even.
Reduce your combustible dust exposure
A proactive review costs a fraction of a single citation. SafetyNet's consultants help manufacturing teams close these gaps before OSHA does:
How much is the OSHA fine for a combustible dust violation in manufacturing?
A single serious OSHA combustible dust citation carries a statutory maximum of $16,550 (willful or repeat violations reach $165,514). For a 45-employee manufacturing company at a 7% net profit margin, that's about $9,930 after the small-employer reduction — and roughly $141,857 in new revenue just to break even.
How is an OSHA combustible dust penalty reduced for small businesses?
OSHA applies a size-of-business and good-faith reduction to the statutory maximum. Employers with 25 or fewer workers can receive up to a 60% reduction, 26–100 workers up to 40%, and 101–250 workers up to 20%. The 45-employee example above receives a 40% reduction, lowering a $16,550 serious citation to about $9,930.
How much revenue is needed to recover from an OSHA combustible dust fine?
Because a fine is paid out of profit, the revenue required to absorb it equals the fine divided by your net profit margin. At a 7% margin, the $9,930 example fine requires roughly $141,857 in new revenue to break even — far more than a proactive SafetyNet audit would cost.
Figures are estimates based on published OSHA statutory maximum penalties and standard size-of-business reductions. Actual penalties vary by case. Not legal advice.