The US Department of Labor announced that they are expanding the criteria for placement in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Severe Violator Enforcement Program in order to strengthen and improve compliance for safety standards.  

Per OSHA's news release, the updated criteria will now include the following:

• Program placement for employers with citations for at least two willful or repeated violations or who receive failure-to-abate notices based on the presence of high-gravity serious violations.
• Follow-up or referral inspections made one year – but not longer than two years – after the final order.
• Potential removal from the Severe Violator Enforcement Program three years after the date of receiving verification that the employer has abated all program-related hazards. In the past, removal could occur three years after the final order date.
• Employers' ability to reduce time spent in the program to two years, if they consent to an enhanced settlement agreement that includes use of a safety and health management system with seven basic elements in OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.

You can find the news release at US Department of Labor announces changes to OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program to strengthen enforcement, improve compliance | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.