The Cal/OSHA phone number for general workplace safety questions is 833-579-0927, staffed by live representatives from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.1California Department of Industrial Relations. Contact Cal/OSHA Employers reporting a serious injury, illness, or death must call the Cal/OSHA district office nearest the worksite, immediately. Employers who want free, confidential safety guidance can call Cal/OSHA Consultation Services at 1-800-963-9424.2California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch California runs its own state occupational safety program, so these are the correct numbers for California workplaces rather than federal OSHA’s national hotline.
General Information Line
The broadest way in is 833-579-0927. Representatives answer between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and can field questions on topics ranging from heat illness prevention to the Emergency Temporary Standard on Respirable Crystalline Silica for general industry.1California Department of Industrial Relations. Contact Cal/OSHA Bilingual staff are available. If your question involves a specific enforcement action, an open complaint, or a site inspection, the representative will usually route you to the district office with jurisdiction over the worksite.
Cal/OSHA headquarters is at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1901, Oakland, CA 94612.1California Department of Industrial Relations. Contact Cal/OSHA Non-urgent correspondence, public records requests, and general administrative inquiries can be sent there.
Reporting a Serious Injury, Illness, or Death
California law requires employers to report any serious work-related injury, illness, or death to Cal/OSHA immediately by phone or email.3California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention for General Industry The report goes to the Cal/OSHA district office closest to the worksite. Use the zip code search tool at the Department of Industrial Relations website to find the correct office.4California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Report a Work-Related Accident – Employers Certain industries have dedicated reporting numbers listed on that same page: mining and tunneling operations, process safety management facilities, and the adult film industry.
When you call, have the exact worksite address ready, along with the nature of the injury or hazard, the number of employees affected, and the employer’s name and business type. District offices operate during standard business hours, but the obligation to report doesn’t pause overnight. If a fatality or serious injury occurs outside those hours, document everything and call as soon as the office opens.
What Counts as a Reportable Serious Injury
Not every workplace injury triggers the immediate reporting requirement. Cal/OSHA defines a reportable serious injury or illness as one involving:
- Inpatient hospitalization for reasons other than observation or diagnostic testing
- Amputation of a limb or body part
- Loss of an eye
- Serious degree of permanent disfigurement
Accidents in construction zones on public streets or highways are specifically included, and work-related injuries or deaths caused by criminal acts are no longer excluded from the definition.5California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Changes to the Definitions of Serious Injury and Illness Any workplace death, regardless of cause, must be reported immediately.
Federal OSHA’s Number Is Not Cal/OSHA
Workplace safety materials sometimes list 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). That number reaches federal OSHA, not Cal/OSHA. Because California operates its own state-plan program with its own enforcement authority, your primary point of contact for a California worksite is always a Cal/OSHA office. Federal OSHA can forward complaints to Cal/OSHA, but calling the state agency directly gets your report into the right hands faster.
Filing a Non-Emergency Complaint
If you’re an employee or member of the public reporting a workplace hazard that isn’t an immediate emergency, you have three ways to file with Cal/OSHA: by phone, by email, or in person at the district office nearest the worksite.6California Department of Industrial Relations. File a Complaint with Cal/OSHA The zip code directory finds the right office. District offices handle complaints during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.7California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Enforcement Unit Regional and District Offices
You can file anonymously. California law requires Cal/OSHA to keep the name of any complainant confidential.8California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Complaint Handling Process Include as much detail as you can when you file: what the hazard is, exactly where it’s located, how long it has existed, and what work tasks are being performed near the danger. That level of detail helps the compliance officer decide whether to send a letter to the employer or conduct an on-site inspection.
Employer Consultation Line
Cal/OSHA Consultation Services is a separate division from enforcement. The toll-free number is 1-800-963-9424, and the email address is infocons@dir.ca.gov.2California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch Assistance is free, voluntary, and available either by phone or through an on-site visit that the employer requests.
The separation from enforcement is the point. Information you share with a consultant stays confidential and cannot be used to launch an enforcement inspection or issue a citation.9California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA – Consultation Service Area Offices Employers who go further and participate in the recognition and exemption program can earn removal from Cal/OSHA’s programmed inspection schedule for at least one year after meeting all requirements. Programmed inspections may be deferred while the employer is still working toward that status.10eCFR. Part 1908 Consultation Agreements That deferral does not protect against inspections triggered by complaints, fatalities, or imminent dangers.
Finding Your District Office
Most interactions beyond a general question end up at a local district office. Follow-ups on complaints, requests for inspection reports, questions about a citation’s abatement, meetings with a compliance officer: the district office with geographic jurisdiction over the worksite is the one to call.
The Department of Industrial Relations maintains an online directory where you can search by zip code to find the office covering a particular worksite.7California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Enforcement Unit Regional and District Offices Local staff are better equipped to handle site-specific issues than the general line, and calling the wrong office just means an extra transfer. When in doubt, the zip code tool is the fastest route to the right number.