The Labor Dept’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration talks a good game, says ProPublica’s Robert Lewis, but the industry penalties they publicly announce are rarely collected. Lewis examined OSHA’s 25 highest fines and found that 19 were reduced and three were dismissed. And the 19 that were reduced fell 65 percent.

One example is a $2.78 million fine against General Motors for violating 57 workplace rules in a 1991 case where machinery killed a worker. The case was not settled until last year– with GM now paying $692,000.

OSHA contends that the press release announcing a huge fine is a big enough threat to get industry to shape up. But it appears that industry has become savvy to a system where OSHA’s legal team will not hold firm on fines.-MB

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