You have 15 working days from receipt of an OSHA citation to file a Notice of Contest. Working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays (29 CFR 1903.19). Miss the window and the citation becomes a final order of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission that cannot be appealed. This free calculator returns the exact deadline date for any receipt date, lists the federal holidays inside your window, and shows working days remaining.
Inside the window you can accept and certify abatement, request an informal conference with the OSHA Area Director (which does not pause the clock), or file a Notice of Contest.
15 working days from the date you receive the citation. Working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. After 15 working days an uncontested citation becomes a final order and is no longer appealable.
No. Requesting an informal conference with the Area Director does not pause or extend the 15-working-day Notice of Contest deadline. Schedule the conference early enough to still contest afterward if it doesn't resolve.
No. Days counted are working days only — Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays are excluded, which is why the real calendar deadline is usually about three weeks after receipt.