The most populous state – and some would argue, the most progressive when it comes to worker safety issues – has a compliance officer-to-worker ratio well below that of federal OSHA.

According to the website www.InsideCalOSHA.org, which is operated by former Cal/OSHA staffer Garrett Brown, the stage agency had 183 filled compliance officer positions as of May 18 — down from 188 in February — for a California workforce of 18.9 million workers. This is an inspector to worker ratio of 1 to 103,572 workers. 

This compares to the Fed OSHA ratio of 1 to 59,000 workers, and ratios in Washington State of 1 to 25,000 workers and in Oregon of 1 to 22,000 workers. 

The California budget for fiscal year 2015-16, which starts July 1, has a proposal to add 26 field compliance officer positions between now and June 2017. The final numbers of the budget are being debated in Sacramento right now, and then the Governor has line-item veto power. 

Click here to view the May 2015 DOSH Enforcement Staffing Summary Chart and DOSH Organization Charts.