The OSHA abatement certification letter, and what has to be in it.
Within 10 calendar days after each item's abatement date, tell OSHA in writing that the item is fixed. For each item, give the date and method of abatement and state that affected employees and their representatives have been told. Add your company name and address, the inspection number, the citation and item numbers, a statement that the information is accurate, and a signature (29 CFR 1903.19(c) and (h)).
Willful and repeat items, and serious items where the citation asks for it, also need proof sent with the letter (1903.19(d)).
Not legal advice. OSHA Action Packet is an administrative response tool, not a law firm. Nobody can promise how OSHA will decide a case or what a penalty will end up being. Talk to a lawyer about whether to contest, and check every date against your own citation. This page covers federal OSHA; state plan states set their own rules.
What 1903.19 asks for
Six rules for the certification.
1. Send it within 10 calendar days of each abatement date
Each cited item has its own abatement date, so each has its own certification date. Certify within 10 calendar days after it (29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1)). The abatement date is the one printed on the citation, or a later one from an approved petition to modify abatement or an informal settlement agreement (1903.19(b)(2)).
2. Say how and when each item was fixed
For each item, give the date and the method of abatement, and state that affected employees and their representatives have been told (1903.19(c)(3)).
3. Identify the case and sign it
Every submission needs your company name and address, the inspection number, the citation and item numbers, a statement that the information is accurate, and the signature of the employer or an authorized representative (1903.19(h)(1)).
4. Count the date the way OSHA does
For mailed documents, the postmark date is the date you sent it. For anything sent another way, it is the date OSHA receives it (1903.19(h)(2)).
5. Tell your employees
Post a copy or a summary near the place where the violation happened, at the same time or before you send it, and leave it up for 3 working days after. Tell employees they can examine and copy it; you have 5 working days to answer a request (1903.19(g)).
6. Skip it only if the citation says it was fixed on the spot
No certification is needed when the compliance officer saw the fix within 24 hours after finding the violation, during the on-site inspection, and noted it on the citation (1903.19(c)(2)).
Abatement documentation
What counts as proof.
Proof is required for every willful or repeat item, and for any serious item where the citation says documentation is required (1903.19(d)(1)). It may include evidence that equipment was bought or repaired, photos or video, or other written records (1903.19(d)(2)). For an other-than-serious item, OSHA says the certification can be a signed letter naming the inspection and item numbers and saying the item was fixed by its date (OSHA 3000).
| Type of item | Proof OSHA describes |
|---|---|
| Physical hazards | Photos or video of the fixed condition |
| Written programs and procedures | A copy of the written program, procedure or other required document |
| Training | Training rosters and the training materials used |
| Equipment | Evidence that the equipment was bought or repaired, such as a receipt |
The table follows the examples in OSHA's Field Operations Manual for abatement proof (FOM chapter 6, Quick-Fix) and the rule itself (1903.19(d)(2)). At informal conferences, OSHA gives time and date stamped photos as an example of abatement proof (FOM chapter 8). If an item gives you more than 90 days to fix it, the citation may also ask for an abatement plan and progress reports (1903.19(e) and (f)).
Example letter
An example abatement certification letter.
This is an example only. It follows the layout of OSHA's own nonmandatory sample in Appendix A to 1903.19, with the parts 1903.19(c)(3) and (h) ask for. Replace every bracket with the facts from your own citation.
[Name], Area Director
U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA
[Address of the Area Office shown on the citation]
[Company name]
[Company address]
Re: Inspection Number [inspection number]
The hazards cited in Inspection Number [inspection number] were corrected as follows:
Citation [1], Item [1] was corrected on [date] by: [what you did, for example "installing guardrails on the open side of the second floor deck"]. [Photos of the installed guardrails are attached.]
Citation [1], Item [2] was corrected on [date] by: [what you did, for example "training the crew on fall hazards"]. [The signed training roster and training materials are attached.]
Affected employees and their representatives have been informed of the abatement.
I attest that the information contained in this document is accurate.
______________________________
Signature
[Typed or printed name and title]
[Date]
Read OSHA's sample in 1903.19 Appendix A on osha.gov. Post a copy near where each violation happened when you send it (1903.19(g)).
Look up your inspection and see your dates
Search OSHA's public records by company or inspection number to see each cited item, its proposed penalty and its abatement date, and work out your 15 working day contest deadline.
Where the packet helps
Know each item's certification date and the proof to collect.
Upload your citation PDF for a free preview scan that shows the item count, the penalty total and the timing. The paid packet then lists each item's certification follow-up date, the proof to collect for it, who owns the work, and what to confirm before you certify. You write and sign the letter yourself.
Most cases are $349. A small case is $199. It must have all of these:
- 1 or 2 items
- No repeat or willful items
- $20,000 or less in proposed penalties
- At most 1 item that needs heavy paperwork
- All the work goes to one owner group
You see your price before you pay.
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After the citation
OSHA citation deadlines
Every date in order, from the 15 working day contest period to abatement certification.
Read the guide →
OSHA informal conference
What to bring, what is usually discussed, and why it does not stop the 15 working day clock.
Read the guide →
Lowering an OSHA penalty
The size, good faith and history factors OSHA publishes, and what happens at the informal conference.
Read the guide →
Abatement certification · FAQ
Abatement certification questions
When is the OSHA abatement certification due?
Within 10 calendar days after the abatement date for each item (29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1)). The abatement date is the one on the citation, or a later one from an approved petition to modify abatement or an informal settlement agreement (1903.19(b)(2)). For a mailed letter, the postmark date is the date you sent it (1903.19(h)(2)).
What must an abatement certification letter include?
For each item: the date and method of abatement, and a statement that affected employees and their representatives have been told about it (1903.19(c)(3)). Every submission also needs your company name and address, the inspection number, the citation and item numbers, a statement that the information is accurate, and the signature of the employer or an authorized representative (1903.19(h)(1)).
Do I need to send photos or other proof?
You must send documents showing abatement for every willful or repeat item, and for serious items where the citation says documentation is required (1903.19(d)(1)). The rule says proof may include evidence that equipment was bought or repaired, photos or video, or other written records (1903.19(d)(2)).
Is there an official OSHA abatement certification form?
OSHA publishes a sample abatement certification letter in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1903.19. It is marked nonmandatory, so you can use your own letter as long as it includes everything 1903.19 asks for.
Do I have to certify an item that was fixed during the inspection?
Not if the compliance officer saw the fix within 24 hours after finding the violation, during the on-site part of the inspection, and noted on the citation that it was fixed (1903.19(c)(2)). If the citation does not say so, certify the item.
Do employees need to see the certification?
Yes. Post a copy or a summary of each document you send OSHA near the place where the violation happened, at the same time or before you send it, and leave it up for 3 working days after you send it. Employees and their representatives can ask to examine and copy it, and you have 5 working days to let them (1903.19(g)).
Is this legal advice?
No. OSHA Action Packet is an administrative response tool, not a law firm. It helps you track dates, fix hazards and collect proof. Check your own citation for what OSHA asks on each item.
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