Commonly Used Statistics

Federal OSHA coverage

Federal OSHA is a small agency; with our state partners we have approximately 2,200 inspectors responsible for the health and safety of 130 million workers, employed at more than 8 million worksites around the nation—which translates to about one compliance officer for every 59,000 workers.

Federal OSHA has 10 regional offices and 90 local area offices.

OSHA budget

FY 2011: $573,096,000
FY 2012: $564,788,000
FY 2013: $563,658,000 (Full Year CR)—with Sequestration: $535,246,000

OSHA inspections

FY 2012 Total Federal inspections: 40,961
FY 2012 Total 18(b) State Plan inspections: 51,133

Worker Injuries, illnesses and fatalities

4,609 workers were killed on the job in 2011 [BLS revised 2011 workplace fatality data*] (3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)—almost 90 a week or nearly 13 deaths every day. (This is the third lowest annual total since the fatal injury census was first conducted in 1992).

749 Hispanic or Latino workers were killed from work-related injuries in 2011—more than 14 deaths a week or two Latino workers killed every single day of the year, all year long.

Fatal work injuries involving contractors accounted for 12 percent of all fatal work injuries in 2011. Hispanic or Latino contractors accounted for 28 percent of fatal work injuries among contractors—well above their 16 percent share of the overall fatal work injury total in 2011.

Construction's "Fatal Four"

Out of 4,188* worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2011, 738 or 17.6% were in construction. The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by electrocution, struck by object, and caught-in/between. These "Fatal Four" were responsible for nearly three out of five (56%) construction worker deaths in 2011*, BLS reports. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 419 workers' lives in America every year.

  • Falls – 259 out of 738 total deaths in construction in CY 2011 (35%)
  • Electrocutions – 69 (9%)
  • Struck by Object – 73 (10%)
  • Caught-in/between – 18 (2%)

Top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards violated in FY2012

The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards by Federal OSHA in fiscal year 2012 (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012):

  1. Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  2. Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  3. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  4. Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  5. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  6. Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  7. Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  8. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  9. Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]
  10. Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.303) [related OSHA Safety and Health Topics page]

OSHA is Making a Difference

  • In four decades, OSHA and our state partners, coupled with the efforts of employers, safety and health professionals, unions and advocates, have had a dramatic effect on workplace safety.
  • Since 1970, workplace fatalities have been reduced by more than 65 percent and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has almost doubled.
  • Worker deaths in America are down—from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 13 a day in 2011.
  • Worker injuries and illnesses are down—from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to fewer than 4 per 100 in 2010.

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