US Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Enforcement
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is authorized by the Occupational Safety Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) to assure employers provide safe and healthful conditions for working men and women free of recognized hazards and by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, education, and technical assistance. OSHA also establishes cooperative programs to partner and work collaboratively with employers, employees, and other stakeholders. These intervention strategies are designed to deter, assist, and work together with employers and employees to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
OSHA INSPECTION ACTIVITY
In FY 2020, OSHA conducted 21,674 inspections, including 12,948 (about 60 percent) unprogrammed inspections, which includes employee complaints, injuries/fatalities, and referrals, all of which were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these 21,674 inspections, 8,726 (about 40 percent) were programmed inspections that focused OSHA’s enforcement resources towards industries and operations where known hazards exist (e.g., combustible dusts, chemical processing, ship-breaking, and falls in construction).
| OSHA Inspection Statistics | FY 2015 | FY 2016 | FY 2017 | FY 2018 | FY 2019 | FY 2020* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Inspections | 35,280 | 31,948 | 32,408 | 32,023 | 33,393 | 21,674 |
| Total Programmed Inspections | 16,527 | 12,731 | 14,377 | 13,956 | 14,900 | 8,726 |
| Total Unprogrammed Inspections | 19,293 | 19,217 | 18,031 | 18,067 | 18,493 | 12,948 |
| ~ Fatality/Catastrophe Inspections | 912 | 890 | 837 | 941 | 919 | 1,508 |
| ~ Complaints Inspection | 9,037 | 8,870 | 8,249 | 7,489 | 7,391 | 4,581 |
| ~ Referrals* | 6,569 | 6,691 | 6,286 | 6,463 | 6,718 | 4,808 |
| ~ Other Unprogrammed Inspections | 3,686 | 2,766 | 2,659 | 3,174 | 3,465 | 2,051 |
| *The COVID-19 global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 occurred during this time. FY20 enforcement OIS data is preliminary and as of November 9, 2020. | ||||||
For more information on OSHA inspections, see the OSHA Inspection Fact Sheet https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/factsheet-inspections.pdf, or click this link for more information on OSHA’s compliance assistance services https://www.osha.gov/employers, and OSHA’s free on-site assistance for small employers https://www.osha.gov/smallbusiness. For information on employee rights, see the OSHA Workers Page https://www.osha.gov/workers.