State audit: Cal/OSHA staffing gaps, process shortfalls limit worker protections; agency accepts recommendations

A state audit released this year found the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) repeatedly failed to inspect dangerous workplaces in a timely, consistent way and often relied on employer self-investigations that do not produce fines, the state auditor told lawmakers at a joint oversight hearing.

The audit, conducted by State Auditor Grant Parks and covering fiscal years 2019–20 through 2023–24, concluded that Cal/OSHA’s “process deficiencies and staffing shortages limit its ability to protect workers,” noting a 32% vacancy rate in 2023–24 in the division, uneven case documentation, and routine use of so‑called letter investigations. Parks said Cal/OSHA conducted on‑site inspections in about 20% of valid complaints in 2023–24 and used employer letter investigations more than 80% of the time.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said the findings help explain continuing workplace tragedies in California despite the state’s broad safety rules. The audit documents cases in which serious injuries and fatalities did not trigger on‑site Cal/OSHA inspections, inadequate documentation of corrective action and fine calculations, and large reductions to initially assessed penalties without clear written justification. The committee's chairs and members signaled they will press for structural fixes, not only hiring.

Key findings

- Staffing and workload: The audit found a 32% vacancy rate in Cal/OSHA in 2023–24; a consulting workload analysis Cal/OSHA commissioned recommended roughly 265 additional staff. The auditor said Cal/OSHA later reported lower vacancy figures after the state removed (swept) roughly 66 authorized positions and the division reported roughly 126 hires earlier in the year; the auditor cautioned that lowering authorized positions can artificially reduce vacancy rates without addressing workload.

- Reliance on letter investigations: Parks’ office found Cal/OSHA used employer self‑investigations (letter investigations) in…