The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since the program's inception in 2010 has placed 288 companies in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP), but just recently listed the steps in the process for those companies to be removed from the program.

The Directorate of Enforcement Programs (DEP) at OSHA issued the following information regarding the removal process this past week:

After reviewing the policy, DEP determined that an employer may be removed from the SVEP after a period of three years from the date of final disposition of the SVEP inspection citation items. Final disposition may occur through failure to contest, settlement agreement, Review Commission final order, or court of appeals decision. Employers must have abated all SVEP–related hazards affirmed as violations, paid all final penalties, abided by and completed all settlement provisions, and not received any additional serious citations related to the hazards identified in the SVEP inspection at the initial establishment or at any related establishments.

Except in cases where national corporate-wide settlements are involved, approval of the employer's removal will be at the discretion of the Regional Administrator or designee and shall be based on an additional follow-up inspection ….

For further details, please visit the OSHA site announcement page.