Federal Workplace Safety Inspector Ranks Drop After Earlier Jump

The number of inspectors working for the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration declined slightly in fiscal year 2023, following a large gain the prior year, according to agency data obtained by Bloomberg Law.

As of the Sept. 30 close of the 2023 fiscal year, the agency had 878 inspectors, a loss of 14 and 1.6% fewer than in the year before, a change the Labor Department workplace safety agency attributed to ongoing budget uncertainty. The slight drop comes after OSHA saw a significant inspector increase in fiscal year 2022, when 142 new positions were filled.

While inspector numbers ...