How to File a Safety and Health Complaint with OSHA

OSHA Worker Rights and Protections - How to File a Safety and Health Complaint | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

OSHA

    
MENU

English | Spanish

HOME
//
WORKERS
//
SAFETY AND HEALTH COMPLAINT

How to File a Safety and Health
Complaint
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 gives employees and their
representatives the right to file a complaint and request an OSHA inspection of
their workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or their employer is not
following OSHA standards. Workers do not have to know whether a specific OSHA
standard has been violated in order to file a complaint. The complaint should
be filed as soon as possible after noticing the hazard or lack of
compliance because OSHA citations may only be issued for violations
that currently exist or existed in the past 6 months.

Language

VIDEOS

Filing a Complaint with OSHA

English | Spanish

Complaints from workers or their representatives are taken seriously by OSHA.
OSHA will keep your information confidential.

COMPLAINT FILING OPTIONS




Know Your Rights

English | Spanish

Online – Go to the Online Complaint Form
Written complaints that are signed by workers or their
representative and submitted to an OSHA Area or Regional
office
are more likely to result in onsite OSHA inspections.
Complaints
received on line from workers in OSHA-approved
state plan states
will be forwarded to the appropriate state
plan for response.

Fax/Mail - Download the OSHA complaint form [En Espanol] (or
request a copy from your local OSHA Regional or Area Offce).
Complete it and then fax or mail it back to your local
OSHA Regional
or Area Office. Written complaints that are
signed by a worker or
representative and submitted to the
closest OSHA Area Office are
more likely to result in onsite
OSHA inspections. Please include your
name, address and
telephone number so we can contact you to
follow up.

Young Workers' Rights

English | Spanish

OSHA NEWS
Enter your email adress
below to subscribe to
QuickTakes , OSHA's
bimonthly eNewsletter

Enter your e-mail address

https://www.osha.gov/workers/file_complaint.html[7/6/2017 12:15:37 PM]

OSHA Worker Rights and Protections - How to File a Safety and Health Complaint | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Telephone



– your local OSHA Regional or Area Offce.

Sign Up Now!

OSHA staff can discuss your complaint and respond to any
questions you have. If there is an emergency or the hazard is
immediately life-threatening, call your local OSHA Regional
or Area Office or 1-800-321-OSHA.

RELATED INFORMATION
Learn more about your rights as a worker.
You can file a whistleblower complaint if your employer has retaliated against
you for exercising your rights as a worker.

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
200 Constitution Ave., NW,
Washington, DC 20210
 800-321-6742 (OSHA)
TTY
www.OSHA.gov
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH

ABOUT THE SITE

Affordable Care Act

Frequently Asked Questions

Privacy & Security Statement

Disaster Recovery Assistance

A - Z Index

Disclaimers

USA.gov

Freedom of Information Act

Important Web Site Notices

Disability.gov

Read the OSHA Newsletter

Plug-ins Used by DOL

Plain Writing Act

Subscribe to the OSHA Newsletter

RSS Feeds from DOL

Recovery Act

OSHA Publications

Accessibility Statement

No Fear Act

Offce of Inspector General

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
White House

U.S. Offce of Special Counsel

https://www.osha.gov/workers/file_complaint.html[7/6/2017 12:15:37 PM]

Freedom of Information Act