OSHA eases compliance rules for smaller roofing companies

By Marco Industries. 

The changes reflect OSHA’s effort to make compliance more accessible and affordable for small roofing companies. 

For roofing contractors, maintaining a safe job site has always been a balancing act between protecting workers and avoiding costly fines. Until recently, small businesses often struggled with the high price of compliance, where even minor violations could result in steep penalties. That’s changing thanks to new guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that could mean significant savings for smaller employers. 

The U.S. Department of Labor has updated OSHA’s Field Operations Manual — the rulebook inspectors use when conducting job site visits and issuing penalties. The changes aim to reduce financial strain on small roofing companies while continuing to promote safe work practices. Our team at Marco Industries gathered the highlights, including expanded penalty reductions for small employers, new incentives for fixing hazards immediately and additional rewards for companies with strong safety records. 

1 – Expanded penalty reductions for small businesses 

In the past, OSHA offered a 70% penalty reduction to businesses with 10 or fewer employees. That helped some small crews but left out many growing companies. 

With the new update, that same 70% reduction now applies to businesses with up to 25 employees. That means if you’ve got a few extra crew members on the books, you’ll still qualify for a major discount if a violation occurs. 

For many roofing contractors, this is a big win. It recognizes that small businesses come in all shapes and sizes — and that even if you’re not a tiny operation, you shouldn’t be penalized like a national corporation. 

2 – Incentives for fixing hazards right away 

OSHA is also offering a 15% penalty reduction for employers who immediately correct a safety hazard once it’s identified. That means if you act quickly — before OSHA has to chase you down — you’ll be rewarded with a lighter fine. 

This is especially helpful for roofing companies, where hazards can pop up fast, and conditions can change daily. If you’ve got systems in place to identify and fix problems quickly, it’ll now pay off in more ways than one. 

3 – Clean safety record? Get a 20% discount. 

OSHA is also recognizing the value of a clean safety history. If your company has never been inspected by federal OSHA or an OSHA State Plan, or if you were inspected in the last five years and didn’t have any serious, willful or failure-to-abate violations, you now qualify for a 20% penalty reduction if something does come up. It’s a reward for doing things right — and an incentive to keep up the good work. 

These updates are already in effect. If your company is under inspection now and OSHA hasn’t issued penalties yet, the new rules apply. However, any fines that were issued before July 14, 2025, will still follow the old structure. 

If you haven’t done a recent safety check or walkthrough of your job sites, now’s a good time to do it. You might also consider brushing up on your OSHA basics or investing in a short training session for your crew. A little effort up front can go a long way toward preventing fines — and now, even if you do get dinged, the penalties won’t hit as hard. 

Remember, safety first. But a close second is surely getting the best quality products you can buy, like those from Marco. Visit our website to learn more.  

Original article source: Marco Industries