What Triggers an OSHA Inspection? The Types, by the Numbers
OSHA does not inspect every workplace, and it does not choose them at random. Every inspection is opened for a documented reason, recorded as an inspection type in the enforcement data. This article explains the official types, what triggers each, and how common each was in 2024, the last fully settled year.
Counts come from the U.S. Department of Labor OSHA enforcement dataset. Type labels come from DOL's published metadata for the insp_type field. Figures cover 2024 and were retrieved in June 2026. For how often each type results in citations and penalties, see our inspection outcomes report.
The short answer
Most inspections come from a few triggers. In 2024, three types were about 79 percent of all inspections.
- Planned, 38.9 percent (29,504). Scheduled enforcement, not opened from a specific reported event at that worksite.
- Complaint, 24.7 percent (18,728). Opened after a worker or their representative files a safety or health complaint.
- Referral, 15.7 percent (11,947). Opened from a referral by another agency, another OSHA activity, or another source.
OSHA inspection types in 2024
| Inspection type | Code | 2024 inspections | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planned | H | 29,504 | 38.9% |
| Complaint | B | 18,728 | 24.7% |
| Referral | C | 11,947 | 15.7% |
| Programmed Related | I | 3,900 | 5.1% |
| Unprogrammed Related | G | 3,530 | 4.6% |
| Accident | A | 2,908 | 3.8% |
| Follow-Up | F | 2,110 | 2.8% |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | M | 2,007 | 2.6% |
| Programmed Other | K | 569 | 0.7% |
| Monitoring | D | 484 | 0.6% |
| Unprogrammed Other | J | 221 | 0.3% |
| Other | L | 20 | 0.0% |
Total inspections with a recorded type in 2024: 75,928, consistent with the 75,927 in our 2024 enforcement roundup (a one-record difference from how types are counted).
Programmed vs unprogrammed
DOL's labels fall into two families. Programmed inspections (Planned, Programmed Related, Programmed Other) are scheduled as part of OSHA's enforcement targeting rather than opened from a specific worksite event. Unprogrammed inspections (Complaint, Referral, Accident, Fatality/Catastrophe, and the related and other unprogrammed categories) are opened in response to a specific event or report.
What each main trigger means
- Planned. Part of OSHA's scheduled enforcement activity rather than being opened directly from a complaint or reported incident at that worksite.
- Complaint. Opened after OSHA receives a safety or health complaint from workers or their representatives.
- Referral. Can result from another agency, another OSHA activity, or another source referring a potential hazard to OSHA.
- Accident. Categorized as an accident inspection in the DOL data. An accident-related inspection does not by itself determine fault.
- Fatality/Catastrophe. Categorized as a fatality or catastrophe inspection in the DOL data.
- Follow-Up. Used by OSHA after earlier enforcement activity to check later compliance.
Inspection types over time, 2021 to 2025
| Type | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned | 22,204 | 24,869 | 28,979 | 29,504 | 26,726 |
| Complaint | 13,769 | 16,682 | 18,908 | 18,728 | 17,429 |
| Referral | 11,065 | 11,470 | 12,017 | 11,947 | 10,871 |
| Accident | 2,921 | 2,968 | 2,913 | 2,908 | 2,839 |
| Follow-Up | 1,413 | 2,098 | 2,127 | 2,110 | 1,796 |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 3,028 | 2,283 | 2,121 | 2,007 | 2,025 |
Planned inspections climbed to a 2024 peak (29,504) then eased, and complaint inspections peaked in 2023. Inspections coded fatality or catastrophe stepped down from 3,028 in 2021 to about 2,000. That is a count of inspection-type coding, not a count of worker deaths; for fatality figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, see our workplace fatalities report. For total inspection volume by year, see OSHA inspection trends.
*2025 is preliminary. Inspection counts for the most recent year are near final but can rise slightly as records finalize. The inspection-type data in this dataset begins in 2021.
How OSHA sets its priorities
OSHA describes its enforcement as setting policy and targeted inspection programs, and responding to fatalities, catastrophes, and complaints (osha.gov/enforcement). The agency's inspection authority and procedures are set out in 29 CFR Part 1903 (eCFR).
Reporting requirements that can trigger an inspection
Some inspections begin because the law requires employers to report severe events. Under 29 CFR 1904.39, an employer must report a work-related fatality within 8 hours, and a work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours (eCFR 1904.39).
Being inspected is common
An inspection is not a finding that a workplace is unsafe, and many inspections close without citations. Having OSHA inspection records is common for businesses in regulated industries. For violation rates and penalty amounts by inspection type, see our inspection outcomes report. Workers can file a complaint through OSHA worker resources.
Methodology and sources
Inspection counts are from the U.S. DOL OSHA enforcement dataset, counted by inspection within calendar year, delete-flagged records excluded. The inspection-type data in this dataset begins in 2021. Inspection type labels are from DOL's published metadata for the insp_type field. Figures are dated snapshots retrieved June 2026; 2024 is the last fully settled year and 2025 is preliminary. No records are estimated.
Official sources: DOL enforcement data API; DOL OSHA inspection metadata; eCFR 29 CFR Part 1903 (inspections), 1904.39 (reporting), 1903.6 (advance notice).
Most inspections are one of three types: planned (scheduled enforcement), complaint (filed by a worker or their representative), or referral (from another agency or source). In 2024 those three were about 79 percent of all inspections.
DOL records each inspection under a type code, including Planned, Complaint, Referral, Accident, Fatality/Catastrophe, Follow-Up, Monitoring, and programmed and unprogrammed related categories.
Programmed inspections are scheduled through OSHA's enforcement targeting. Unprogrammed inspections are opened in response to a specific event such as a complaint, referral, or reported incident.
Generally no. Advance notice of inspections is restricted under 29 CFR 1903.6 and is permitted only in the limited circumstances the regulation describes.
No. Inspections are opened for many reasons, and many close without any citation.
Data Source and Methodology
Data synced dailyData on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA enforcement database, accessed via the DOL public data API. Records are updated daily. We strive for accuracy, but errors in data processing or establishment grouping are possible. Penalty amounts reflect the latest penalty amounts on record in the DOL database and may differ from initial assessments or final amounts after informal conference, settlement, or judicial review. Company pages group inspection records by normalized employer name, city, and state as reported in OSHA records. That grouping is deterministic and non-fuzzy, but it is not a universal legal-entity identifier. If you believe any record is inaccurate, please report it and we will investigate. This product uses the DOL Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the DOL. For official and authoritative records, visit osha.gov.