California OSHA 2025–2026 High-Hazard Industry List
Posted: December 11th, 2025
Authors: Joe G.
High-Hazard Industry List
On October 1st, 2025 California Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (Cal OSHA) High Hazard Unit (HHU) released its updated High-Hazard Industry List for Fiscal Years 2025–2026. The annual list identifies industry sectors across California that have experienced elevated rates of workplace injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted duty, or job transfer (DART). Listed industries have DART rates that significantly exceed the state’s private-sector average.
From our experience, those industries identified on the High-Hazard Industry list are targets for Cal OSHA inspections and enforcement activity.
Dart Rates
Annually, Cal OSHA analyzes injury and illness data from employers across the state to determine which industry sectors have the highest rates of serious injuries. The key metric used in this evaluation is the Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred, known as the DART rate. This is a standardized indicator of how frequently workers experience injuries or illnesses severe enough to cause lost workdays, restricted job duties, or transfers to different positions. The DART rate is calculated using the formula:
DART Rate = (Number of DART Cases × 200,000) ÷ Employee Hours Worked
The constant “200,000” represents the total number of hours worked by 100 employees annually (40 hours per week × 50 weeks × 100 employees). This allows Cal OSHA to normalize the rate across industries of varying sizes.
For this period, the private sector average DART rate was 2.0. Industries with DART rates greater than 200% of the average (or above 4.0) are designated as high hazard and may be targeted for Cal OSHA programmed inspections
High-Hazard Industry List
This list provides an overview of sectors where injury prevention efforts are most needed. Several industries stood out under Fiscal Year 2025’s list for having rates more than double the state average, including:
| Elevated DART Rates | Sectors | Examples |
| 9.8 | Couriers and Messengers | Local parcel delivery, Air courier services |
| 9.6 | All Other Wood Product Manufacturing | Custom wood molding and trim, Prefabricated wood sections or specialty structures |
| 8.3 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | Assisted living with personal care, Residential care homes for elderly |
| 7.9 | Soft Drink Manufacturing | Bottled soft drink production, Carbonated beverage manufacturing |
| 7.2 | Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturing | Salad dressing producers, Spice blends and rub companies |
These elevated DART rates indicate that workers in these sectors experience a higher frequency of injuries and illnesses severe enough to cause lost or restricted workdays.
What This Means for Employers
Those under the High-Hazard Industry list do not conclusively indicate poor compliance. However, there is a potential for increased Cal OSHA attention and programmed inspections targeting facilities within these sectors.
Employers with California operations in affected industries should:
- Review their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) for completeness and alignment with Title 8 CCR §3203.
- Evaluate recent incident and near-miss trends to identify recurring hazards.
- Conduct targeted safety training and refresher programs for employees in high-risk areas.
- Verify proper recordkeeping on OSHA Form 300, 300A, and 301 logs.
- Engage safety consultants or internal auditors to proactively assess site-specific risks.
Why This Matters to Our Clients
This announcement is particularly relevant for clients with operations in the state of California, where Cal OSHA maintains one of the most robust and active enforcement programs in the country. Facilities falling within a listed NAICS code may experience increased inspection likelihood, particularly if they report recent injury cases or have limited safety documentation on file.
Our team continues to monitor regulatory developments from Cal OSHA’s HHU and offers tailored solutions to clients with operations in California. For assistance, contact our California office at (909) 483-3300, or reach out to our Health and Safety team at info@all4inc.com or (610) 933-5246.
