The main Cal/OSHA phone number is 833-579-0927, staffed by live representatives from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for general workplace safety questions.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 rather than the general line. Employers who want free, confidential safety guidance can reach Cal/OSHA Consultation Services at 1-800-963-9424.2California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch Because California runs its own state occupational safety program, these are the right numbers to call about a California workplace, not federal OSHA’s national hotline.
The General Information Line
Call 833-579-0927 for broad questions about Cal/OSHA standards, programs, and procedures. The line is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and bilingual staff are available. Representatives can answer 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 If your question involves an active enforcement action, open complaint, or site inspection, the representative will typically 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 official correspondence, public records requests, and general administrative mail can go to that address.
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. You can find the correct office through the zip code search tool on the Department of Industrial Relations website.4California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Report a Work-Related Accident – Employers Certain industries have dedicated reporting numbers: mining and tunneling operations, process safety management facilities, and the adult film industry each have separate contacts listed on that same page.
When you call, be ready to give the exact worksite address, 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 business hours, document everything and make the call as soon as the office opens.
What Counts as a Reportable Serious Injury
Not every workplace injury triggers the immediate-reporting rule. 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.
Consultation Services for Employers
Cal/OSHA Consultation Services operates as a separate division from the enforcement branch. The toll-free number is 1-800-963-9424, and you can also email infocons@dir.ca.gov.2California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch The service is free and voluntary, available through phone guidance or on-site visits that the employer requests.
The separation from enforcement is the key feature. Information shared with a consultant stays confidential and cannot be used to launch an enforcement inspection or issue a citation.6California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA – Consultation Service Area Offices This is the number to call if you want help identifying hazards before an inspector does.
Filing a Non-Emergency Complaint
If you’re an employee or member of the public reporting a 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.7California Department of Industrial Relations. File a Complaint with Cal/OSHA Enter the worksite’s zip code in the online directory to find the right office. District offices handle complaints during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.8California 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.9California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Complaint Handling Process Include as much detail as you can: a description of the hazard, its exact location, how long it has existed, and the work tasks being performed near the danger. Specific detail helps the compliance officer decide whether to send a letter to the employer or conduct an on-site inspection.
Finding Your District Office Number
Most interactions beyond a general question will funnel through a local Cal/OSHA district office. Following up on a complaint, requesting a copy of an inspection report, checking the status of a citation’s abatement, scheduling a meeting: all of these go through the office with geographic jurisdiction over the worksite.
The Department of Industrial Relations maintains an online directory where you can search by zip code to find the office that covers a particular address.8California Department of Industrial Relations. Cal/OSHA Enforcement Unit Regional and District Offices Local staff can handle site-specific issues better than the general phone line, and calling the wrong office just means an extra transfer. When in doubt, the zip code tool is the fastest way to the right number.
Don’t Confuse This With Federal OSHA
You may see 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) in workplace safety materials. 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 workplace is always a Cal/OSHA office. Federal OSHA can forward complaints to Cal/OSHA, but calling the state agency directly puts your report into the right hands faster.