Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
Workers arrive each day facing a real risk of an on-the-job injury. They rely on others’ diligence to ensure their workspaces are safe. When an employer, or others whom an employer hires, fail to live up to their duties, workers are placed at risk and, too often, are hurt.
When a worker is injured in Oregon, they may have multiple ways to seek recourse. One, of course, is workers’ compensation. That, however, is not necessarily the only avenue. Many workers may also be entitled to compensation through a 3rd-party industrial accident lawsuit. In these circumstances, having representation from an experienced Portland industrial accident lawyer is essential.
One way workplace safety is enhanced is through regulation and oversight by federal and state agencies. However, some are concerned that federal enforcement is waning. Recently, internal data from the U.S. Department of Labor showed a sharp decline in work-site inspections conducted by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 2025 compared with 2024. According to a New York Times report, data released by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren showed “a 20 percent decrease in work site inspections” carried out by OSHA “during a six-month period last year compared with the same period in 2024.”
Concerns About Relaxed Oversight and Enforcement
While the government has not publicly revealed the total number of OSHA worksite inspections conducted in Fiscal Year 2025, some labor advocates have expressed concern about the data Sen. Warren’s office released. Namely, those advocates are worried “that the Trump administration is relaxing oversight of companies and increasing the potential for serious injuries and deaths,” according to the Times.
In a letter to the Secretary of Labor and the head of OSHA, Sen. Warren and five other senators also noted that the inspections OSHA conducted during those six months in 2025 resulted in 42% fewer willful violations. That drop is significant because a finding of willfulness, or a lack thereof, is often the difference between an employer facing the highest penalties versus less severe sanctions. According to the OSHA.gov website, a serious (but not willful) violation carries a $16,550 penalty. If a violation is willful, the penalty is ten times higher, at $165,514.
‘Efforts… to Roll Back Regulations’
The Times also noted that, in addition to the reduction in the number of inspections and the frequency of willful violation findings, the current presidential administration has sought “to roll back regulations for worker safety and protections, including efforts to close OSHA offices.”
Additionally, the Labor Department has announced its intention “to pull back a requirement that employers provide appropriate lighting at construction sites and ease evaluation mandates for protective equipment for workers regularly exposed to dangerous chemicals,” according to the Times.
Oversight and Enforcement at the State Level
Here in Oregon, the Department of Consumer and Business Services has its own occupational safety and health division (Oregon OSHA). The penalties Oregon OSHA has historically imposed have been very low, with adjusted penalties for “serious” violations as little as $100. In 2023, the legislature passed a bill to stiffen penalties handed out by Oregon OSHA.
Under the current standards, a violation rated as “serious” carries a minimum possible penalty of $1,214 and a maximum of $17,004. If Oregon OSHA finds that a business committed a willful violation, the minimum penalty is $12,147, and the maximum is $170,046.
Workplace Safety and the Civil Justice System
Agency oversight and enforcement — at the federal and state level — is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to workplace safety. Another important component comes into play when an Oregon worker suffers harm (or death) as a result of the negligence or willful misconduct of someone other than their employer. When that happens, the injured worker may be entitled to compensation through what’s called an industrial accident lawsuit.
These kinds of actions can encompass a variety of scenarios. For example, say a worker suffers substantial injuries because a manufacturing component malfunctions. The vendor who sold that defective part to the worker’s employer may be civilly liable in an industrial accident action. Similarly, say a machine exploded, injuring a worker because a third-party contractor failed to inspect and repair the machine correctly. That contractor also could face industrial accident liability for its negligent performance of its duties.
Industrial accident litigation is often complex and nuanced. The key to holding the responsible parties accountable often lies with having the right advocate. Kaplan Law LLC has the knowledge and a long history of successfully taking on corporations in 3rd-party industrial accident cases resulting in catastrophic loss. These entities range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. To learn more about how we can help you, call (503) 226-3844 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
