What Is Informal Conference
An informal conference is a meeting between an employer and OSHA (or state occupational safety agency) to discuss a citation, proposed penalty, or abatement timeline after a workplace inspection. This occurs before any formal legal contest and gives you a chance to present your perspective directly to the OSHA official who conducted the inspection.
How It Works
When OSHA issues a citation, you typically have 15 working days to request an informal conference. Here's the sequence:
- OSHA conducts an inspection and finds violations related to fire safety equipment, chemical handling procedures, or other workplace hazards.
- You receive a written citation with proposed penalties and a 30-day abatement deadline.
- Within 15 working days, you contact OSHA's area office to request an informal conference.
- You meet with the OSHA compliance officer or their supervisor to discuss the violation's severity, your corrective actions already underway, and whether the proposed penalty reflects your circumstances.
- The agency may negotiate the penalty amount (typically reduced by 10-30 percent), adjust the abatement period, or clarify technical requirements for compliance.
For homeowners, informal conferences are less common but may apply if you face enforcement action related to rental property safety violations, such as missing smoke detectors, blocked emergency exits, or improper storage of hazardous materials.
Practical Application
- Safety managers: Use informal conferences to demonstrate your safety culture. Bring documentation of your safety audit results, training records, and the corrective measures you've already implemented. OSHA responds positively to evidence of good-faith compliance efforts.
- Penalty negotiation: If OSHA cited a first violation that you corrected immediately, the informal conference is where you argue for a reduced penalty. Willful or repeated violations carry penalties starting at $9,997 per violation (2024 rates), while serious violations start at $3,332 per violation.
- Timeline adjustments: If 30 days is insufficient to correct a complex hazard, such as installing new fire suppression systems or replacing chemical storage containers, request a longer abatement period with a documented remediation plan.
- Technical clarity: Use this meeting to clarify ambiguous standards. For example, if cited for inadequate emergency preparedness procedures, discuss what specific documentation or drills OSHA expects to see.
Common Questions
- Does requesting an informal conference delay the penalty? Yes. The 15-working-day request window pauses your contest period while the conference is scheduled and held. This typically adds 2-4 weeks before you must formally comply or file a notice of contest.
- Can I bring a safety consultant or legal representative? Yes. Many employers bring their OSHA consultant, attorney, or insurance representative. OSHA cannot prevent this, though smaller meetings are often more productive for negotiation.
- What if we disagree after the informal conference? You can still file a notice of contest within 15 working days of the citation, escalating the matter to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The informal conference is not binding.