OSHA Inspections Ticking Up Again as Covid-19 Restrictions Ease

Workplace inspections by OSHA have rebounded from a year ago but still lag behind their pre-pandemic levels, agency inspection data show.

Across all industries in June 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted 2,452 inspections, up 47% from the 1,672 inspections in June 2020, but 16% below the 2,915 inspections in June 2019, agency enforcement records show.

The June numbers signal OSHA’s return to inspecting more worksites as the agency lifted some Covid-19 protective restrictions on inspectors and the deluge of complaints in 2020 slowed. For example, in June 2020, the agency received 1,339 complaints related to Covid-19 while ...