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. OSHA balances enforcement and cooperative programs to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
OSHA INSPECTION ACTIVITY
In FY 2025, OSHA conducted 30,273 inspections comprising 16,311 unprogrammed and 13,962 programmed inspections. Unprogrammed inspections include those initiated by employee complaints, injuries/fatalities, and referrals. Programmed inspections are those initiated by emphasis programs to focus OSHA’s enforcement resources on industries and operations where known hazards exist (e.g., heat, respirable silica, combustible dusts, chemical processing, ship-breaking, and falls).
| OSHA Inspection Statistics | FY 2020* | FY 2021* | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Inspections | 21,710 | 24,333 | 31,820 | 34,221 | 34,625 | 30,273 |
| Total Programmed Inspections | 8,729 | 10,584 | 14,081 | 15,844 | 17,170 | 13,962 |
| Total Unprogrammed Inspections | 12,981 | 13,749 | 17,739 | 18,377 | 17,455 | 16,311 |
| ~ Fatality/Catastrophe Inspections | 1,498 | 1,386 | 1,119 | 952 | 863 | 909 |
| ~ Complaint Inspections | 4,592 | 4,955 | 6,789 | 8,221 | 7,509 | 6,664 |
| ~ Referrals | 4,810 | 5,310 | 6,091 | 6,419 | 6,340 | 6,079 |
| ~ Other Unprogrammed Inspections | 2,081 | 2,098 | 3,740 | 2,785 | 2,743 | 2,659 |
*This period represents the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information and the resources available to support both employers and workers in building safer, healthier workplaces, visit: OSHA CARES