California’s Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) released its 2025 annual report, which provides an overview of the state’s workplace health and safety and workers’ compensation systems. Additionally, this report details California’s workplace injuries and fatalities for 2024, comparing them to previous injury and illness rates. This data underscores the ongoing need to address key hazards in high-risk sectors through active program reviews.
From 2014 to 2021, injury and illness rates generally dropped in both the U.S. and California. In 2020, a temporary spike in California’s rates was driven by COVID-19 illnesses rather than injuries. Following a post-pandemic rise in 2022 to 1.7 occupational injury and illness cases per 100 workers, California’s rate fell 35% by 2024, returning to its pre-pandemic rate of 1.1.
From 2022 to 2024, the number of non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses decreased 20% — from a high of 565,900 cases in 2022 to 454,100 cases in 2024. The top events and exposures causing non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses are:
- Overexertion, repetitive motion and bodily reaction (35.2%)
- Contact incidents (when an object, tool or vehicle contacts a worker) (28%)
- Falls, slips and trips (22%)
- Exposure to harmful substances (9%)
Similarly, from 2022 to 2024, fatal occupational injuries decreased 18% — from 490 cases to 402 cases — and of those cases, 92% were men.
In 2024, the industries with the highest numbers of fatal occupational injuries in California were:
- Transportation and material moving (110 deaths).
- Construction and extraction (80 deaths).
- Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance (39 deaths).
- Installation, maintenance and repair (29 deaths).
These fatal occupational injuries were mainly caused by:
- Transportation incidents (31%).
- Falls, slips and trips (26%).
- Harmful substances or environments (23%)
- Violent acts (21%).
Employers must provide a safe and healthful working environment for all employees under their direction and supervision. All California employers must create and have available an effective, written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and make sure it is up to date. One best practice is to schedule a quarterly, semi-annual or annual IIPP review, depending on the nature of the business.
Additionally, California’s general industry workplace violence prevention standards require most employers to have a workplace violence prevention plan and train their employees on that plan, among other requirements. And every year, employers are required to review their plan’s effectiveness, update it as needed and then train their employees on that plan.
Katie Culliton, Senior Editor, CalChamber
CalChamber members can read more about Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPP) in the HR Library. Not a member yet? See how CalChamber can help you.
