Cal/OSHA Inspections Are Increasing: What California Employers Need to Know in 2026
Inspection activity is increasing. Documentation standards are tightening. Here’s how California employers can stay ready before an inspector arrives.
If your business operates in California, 2026 is bringing important changes to how Cal/OSHA conducts inspections and evaluates employer compliance.
Inspection activity is increasing, enforcement procedures are becoming more standardized, and Cal/OSHA is implementing new policies in response to recommendations from the California State Auditor. At the same time, employers must keep pace with several new regulatory requirements that took effect this year.
The good news? Businesses with organized documentation, current written safety programs, and complete training records are generally in a much stronger position when an inspector arrives.
Cal/OSHA Is Conducting More Inspections
Cal/OSHA conducted substantially more inspections during 2025 than it did the previous year.
According to Cal-OSHA Reporter Vol. 53, No. 24, on-site inspections increased by 16%, total inspections increased by 8%, and violations issued increased by 15% compared with 2024 levels.
Construction, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and several other industries all experienced increases in inspection activity. While not every employer will receive an inspection, these numbers indicate that California employers should expect a greater likelihood of regulatory contact than in recent years.
Documentation Is Receiving Greater Attention
The California State Auditor concluded that Cal/OSHA needed to improve how inspections are documented, how Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPP) are evaluated, how evidence supporting citations is maintained, and how employers demonstrate hazard abatement.
In response, Cal/OSHA has committed to revising enforcement policies and procedures to address those recommendations.
- Better documentation when deciding whether to conduct on-site inspections
- More thorough evaluations of Injury and Illness Prevention Programs
- Improved documentation supporting citations
- Stronger verification that cited hazards have actually been corrected
Cal/OSHA Is Modernizing Its Enforcement
Cal/OSHA is also transitioning from many paper-based processes to a cloud-based case-management system known as Cal/OIS.
Cal/OIS is intended to centralize enforcement data, improve case tracking, support complaint management, improve reporting consistency, and strengthen documentation quality. Implementation is occurring in phases over 2026 and 2027.
- Case tracking
- Complaint management
- Inspection documentation
- Reporting consistency
- Data integrity
While this modernization primarily affects internal operations, employers should expect more standardized enforcement processes and more consistent documentation requirements over time.
Several New Compliance Rules Took Effect in 2026
Beyond inspection procedures, several regulatory changes became effective in 2026, including updated confined space requirements for construction and new training recordkeeping requirements. Cal/OSHA also continues to advance rulemaking related to workplace violence and walkaround representative procedures.
- Revised confined space requirements for construction
- Enhanced training documentation expectations
- Continued development of workplace violence regulations
- Continued evaluation to walkaround representative procedures
California employers should ensure their written programs and employee training reflect the latest requirements, and not just outdated procedures carried over from previous years.
Don’t Get Caught in a Safety Pickle
Outdated documentation is easier to fix before Cal/OSHA is standing in your lobby.
What Inspectors Commonly Request
Despite these changes, many inspections still begin with familiar documentation. Depending on your operations, inspectors may request written programs, employee records, and proof that hazards have been corrected.
Written Programs
- IIPP
- Hazard Communication
- Heat Illness Prevention
- Emergency Action Plan
Employee Records
- Training documentation
- Forklift certifications
- Respirator fit testing
Compliance Documents
- OSHA 300 logs
- Equipment inspections
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS) library
- Required postings
If these documents are incomplete, outdated, or inconsistent with your actual workplace practices, they can significantly complicate an inspection. This is not an exhaustive list.
Preparing Before an Inspection
Waiting until an inspector arrives is rarely the best time to discover compliance gaps.
A proactive review can help identify missing written programs, expired certifications, incomplete training documentation, inaccurate recordkeeping, and workplace hazards that do not match written policies.
Addressing these issues ahead of time is faster, less disruptive, and less expensive than responding after citations have been issued.
Cal/OSHA Inspection Readiness Checklist for 2026
Before an inspection, verify you have:
- Current IIPP
- Hazard Communication Program
- Heat Illness Prevention Program
- OSHA 300 Logs
- Employee training records
- Forklift certifications
- SDS library
- Equipment inspection records
- Required workplace postings
- Documentation showing hazards were corrected
How GotSafety Can Help
GotSafety helps employers prepare for OSHA and Cal/OSHA inspections through:
- Inspection Readiness Audits
- Custom OSHA-compliant Safety Manuals and IIPPs
- Employee Training
- GotSafety Lite - Digital Training Library
- Learning Management System
- OSHA and Cal/OSHA Consultation
Whether you're preparing for your first inspection or updating an aging compliance program, our team can help you identify potential issues before an inspector does.
Free Cal/OSHA Inspection Readiness Assessment
GotSafety can review your safety manual, IIPP, training records, OSHA logs, required written programs, and potential compliance gaps before an inspector arrives.
Sources Used
- Haynes Boone LLP. Cal/OSHA Expected Outlook for 2026. https://www.haynesboone.com/news/alerts/cal-osha-expected-outlook-for-2026
- Cal-OSHA Reporter. Vol. 53, No. 24. https://www.cal-osha.com/
- California State Auditor. Cal/OSHA Expected Outlook for 2026. https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/responses-2024-115-all/
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California Department of Finance. Budget Change Proposal 7915 (FY 2026-26). https://bcp.dof.ca.gov/2526/FY2526_ORG7350_BCP7915.pdf