How has OSHA enforcement activity changed over time? This page tracks the number of inspections opened, violations issued, and penalties assessed each year across public OSHA records in our database. These are raw record counts, not normalized for workforce size or economic conditions. Year-over-year changes may reflect shifts in OSHA staffing, budget, or enforcement priorities rather than changes in workplace safety conditions.
| Year | Inspections | Employers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | 35,496 | 32,210 | |
| 2025 | 69,994 | 61,297 | |
| 2024 | 75,928 | 65,695 | |
| 2023 | 76,283 | 65,633 | |
| 2022 | 69,523 | 60,072 | |
| 2021 | 61,296 | 54,181 | |
| 2020 | 51,321 | 46,039 | |
| 2019 | 80,571 | 70,333 | |
| 2018 | 79,731 | 69,466 | |
| 2017 | 81,084 | 70,385 | |
| 2016 | 79,266 | 69,198 | |
| 2015 | 86,423 | 74,058 | |
| 2014 | 92,344 | 77,525 | |
| 2013 | 98,071 | 81,628 | |
| 2012 | 102,055 | 85,559 | |
| 2011 | 103,745 | 87,250 | |
| 2010 | 109,487 | 90,776 | |
| 2009 | 111,434 | 91,829 | |
| 2008 | 106,376 | 88,073 | |
| 2007 | 103,896 | 85,889 | |
| 2006 | 107,562 | 88,110 | |
| 2005 | 105,109 | 85,403 | |
| 2004 | 107,290 | 86,264 | |
| 2003 | 108,899 | 88,213 | |
| 2002 | 111,094 | 89,256 | |
| 2001 | 103,554 | 83,306 | |
| 2000 | 100,089 | 80,644 | |
| 1999 | 102,792 | 82,627 | |
| 1998 | 101,231 | 81,508 | |
| 1997 | 104,625 | 85,402 | |
| 1996 | 92,361 | 75,382 | |
| 1995 | 96,848 | 79,310 | |
| 1994 | 112,476 | 91,100 | |
| 1993 | 112,705 | 90,795 | |
| 1992 | 125,340 | 98,199 | |
| 1991 | 138,184 | 105,007 | |
| 1990 | 135,533 | 101,133 | |
| 1989 | 123,225 | 92,564 | |
| 1988 | 125,535 | 93,944 | |
| 1987 | 130,399 | 101,017 | |
| 1986 | 134,800 | 107,434 | |
| 1985 | 139,428 | 112,813 | |
| 1984 | 140,059 | 111,135 | |
| 1983 | 120,096 | 91,900 | |
| 1982 | 92,080 | 72,061 | |
| 1981 | 59,183 | 46,248 | |
| 1980 | 68,233 | 47,326 | |
| 1979 | 60,925 | 42,154 | |
| 1978 | 55,808 | 37,573 | |
| 1977 | 61,118 | 40,352 | |
| 1976 | 75,692 | 53,832 | |
| 1975 | 89,860 | 63,339 | |
| 1974 | 80,466 | 55,286 | |
| 1973 | 67,253 | 43,861 | |
| 1972 | 17,164 | 11,123 | |
| 1971 | 2 | 2 | |
| 1970 | 1 | 1 |
| Year | Violations | Penalties | Inspections w/ Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | 52,825 | $139,473,508 | 16,325 |
| 2025 | 132,439 | $341,087,349 | 41,700 |
| 2024 | 136,413 | $350,765,882 | 43,089 |
| 2023 | 139,261 | $342,003,119 | 44,517 |
| 2022 | 122,653 | $281,896,345 | 39,260 |
| 2021 | 108,842 | $228,330,703 | 35,093 |
| 2020 | 104,692 | $206,881,223 | 33,028 |
| 2019 | 159,703 | $290,692,505 | 49,370 |
| 2018 | 156,815 | $261,372,727 | 48,150 |
| 2017 | 162,029 | $256,015,745 | 49,650 |
| 2016 | 168,316 | $229,477,509 | 49,822 |
| 2015 | 175,550 | $207,786,308 | 52,119 |
| 2014 | 191,204 | $190,772,827 | 55,712 |
| 2013 | 210,407 | $187,856,583 | 59,576 |
| 2012 | 215,094 | $190,011,972 | 60,319 |
| 2011 | 225,294 | $212,059,312 | 61,347 |
| 2010 | 245,426 | $167,405,230 | 65,483 |
| 2009 | 251,982 | $140,971,036 | 66,659 |
| 2008 | 249,939 | $135,575,612 | 65,066 |
| 2007 | 252,379 | $125,253,195 | 64,964 |
| 2006 | 251,234 | $120,061,210 | 64,218 |
| 2005 | 243,008 | $129,106,298 | 61,266 |
| 2004 | 252,183 | $111,236,078 | 62,433 |
| 2003 | 251,043 | $105,027,514 | 62,412 |
| 2002 | 244,795 | $100,791,348 | 60,231 |
| 2001 | 231,747 | $93,526,341 | 55,150 |
| 2000 | 184,859 | $72,432,911 | 43,709 |
| 1999 | 112,120 | $45,225,331 | 25,274 |
| 1998 | 131,075 | $41,943,890 | 29,265 |
| 1997 | 174,032 | $57,638,305 | 38,505 |
| 1996 | 215,412 | $76,605,763 | 48,419 |
| 1995 | 282,981 | $93,454,251 | 59,608 |
| 1994 | 357,597 | $133,851,538 | 71,817 |
| 1993 | 354,845 | $115,346,715 | 71,998 |
| 1992 | 382,362 | $110,091,497 | 77,864 |
| 1991 | 411,377 | $112,110,934 | 84,253 |
| 1990 | 417,221 | $56,449,664 | 82,687 |
| 1989 | 376,916 | $50,324,082 | 76,568 |
| 1988 | 317,030 | $31,919,821 | 72,119 |
| 1987 | 298,674 | $22,071,697 | 72,094 |
| 1986 | 280,936 | $13,824,166 | 70,475 |
| 1985 | 254,013 | $11,255,047 | 68,663 |
| 1984 | 211,019 | $8,375,163 | 59,414 |
| 1983 | 79,582 | $3,523,946 | 20,853 |
| 1982 | 69,110 | $2,818,498 | 18,035 |
| 1981 | 62,339 | $3,247,679 | 15,712 |
| 1980 | 74,470 | $6,243,113 | 16,799 |
| 1979 | 66,762 | $7,456,096 | 14,070 |
| 1978 | 63,744 | $7,320,250 | 12,152 |
| 1977 | 76,218 | $4,757,086 | 14,131 |
| 1976 | 145,689 | $4,476,920 | 22,063 |
| 1975 | 194,502 | $4,071,886 | 29,811 |
| 1974 | 178,607 | $2,947,575 | 27,129 |
| 1973 | 100,634 | $2,157,361 | 15,417 |
| 1972 | 19,043 | $422,257 | 2,625 |
| Year | Type | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Planned | 12,076 |
| Complaint | 9,471 | |
| Referral | 5,397 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 1,872 | |
| Unprogrammed Emphasis | 1,418 | |
| Programmed Related | 1,413 | |
| Accident | 1,329 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 984 | |
| Follow-Up | 938 | |
| Programmed Other | 240 | |
| Monitoring | 198 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 150 | |
| Other | 10 | |
| 2025 | Planned | 26,731 |
| Complaint | 17,426 | |
| Referral | 10,872 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 3,515 | |
| Programmed Related | 3,389 | |
| Accident | 2,838 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 2,025 | |
| Follow-Up | 1,796 | |
| Programmed Other | 553 | |
| Monitoring | 398 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 242 | |
| Unprogrammed Emphasis | 199 | |
| Other | 10 | |
| 2024 | Planned | 29,504 |
| Complaint | 18,728 | |
| Referral | 11,948 | |
| Programmed Related | 3,900 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 3,530 | |
| Accident | 2,908 | |
| Follow-Up | 2,110 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 2,006 | |
| Programmed Other | 569 | |
| Monitoring | 484 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 221 | |
| Other | 20 | |
| 2023 | Planned | 28,979 |
| Complaint | 18,908 | |
| Referral | 12,017 | |
| Programmed Related | 3,998 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 3,653 | |
| Accident | 2,913 | |
| Follow-Up | 2,127 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 2,121 | |
| Programmed Other | 721 | |
| Monitoring | 505 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 303 | |
| Other | 37 | |
| Variance | 1 | |
| 2022 | Planned | 24,869 |
| Complaint | 16,682 | |
| Referral | 11,470 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 3,549 | |
| Programmed Related | 3,040 | |
| Accident | 2,968 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 2,283 | |
| Follow-Up | 2,098 | |
| Monitoring | 1,395 | |
| Programmed Other | 806 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 302 | |
| Other | 60 | |
| Variance | 1 | |
| 2021 | Planned | 22,204 |
| Complaint | 13,769 | |
| Referral | 11,065 | |
| Fatality/Catastrophe | 3,028 | |
| Unprogrammed Related | 3,009 | |
| Accident | 2,921 | |
| Programmed Related | 2,605 | |
| Follow-Up | 1,413 | |
| Programmed Other | 548 | |
| Monitoring | 419 | |
| Unprogrammed Other | 251 | |
| Other | 63 | |
| Variance | 1 |
The year with the highest inspection volume in our database was 1984 with 140,059 inspections opened.
Inspection volume was higher in 2025 (69,994) than in 2021 (61,296), comparing full calendar years.
The year with the most violations issued was 1990 with 417,221 violations totaling $56,449,664 in penalties.
Inspection counts are based on the open_date field from OSHA inspection records. Violation counts and penalty totals are based on the issuance_date field from violation records. Deleted violations (delete_flag) are excluded from all counts. Years with fewer than 10 violations are excluded from the violations table to avoid showing incomplete data. The current calendar year is labeled YTD (year to date) and excluded from year-over-year trend comparisons since it represents incomplete data.
Penalty totals use current_penalty, the latest amount on record, which may still be subject to change for cases without a final order date. Employer counts are approximate, based on distinct establishment names in inspection records per year, not linked establishment entities. Data covers all OSHA inspections in our database. Data sourced from the OSHA inspection and violation tables in the U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data API. Records are synced daily.
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.
