Enforcement & Compliance

IOSHA enforces safety and health standards to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. Prevention helps both employers and employees by reducing costs associated with workers' comp and other related costs.

IOSHA works with federal OSHA so Iowa's program is similar to other state programs.

Safety & Health Complaints

Anyone can file a confidential complaint if they believe either:

  • A serious workplace hazard exists, or
  • An employer is not following OSHA standards.

You can submit either a formal or non-formal complaint. NOTE: To submit a formal complaint, at least one current employee or an authorized employee representative should sign it.

Please be as thorough and specific as possible when completing the complaint form.

Accident/Incident Reporting

Employers must report any work-related death within eight hours. The phone line and incident report form are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Employers must report within 24 hours if any employees suffers one of the following work-related accidents:

  • In-patient hospitalization
  • Amputation
  • Loss of an eye

To report a workplace incident or fatality, employers can either: 

Guide to Iowa OSHA Citations

An IOSHA Citation and Notification of Penalty is a legal document notifying an employer of the following:

  • Alleged hazards identified during the inspection.
  • The proposed penalty amount.
  • The deadlines for correcting the hazards.

Learn more about IOSHA citations.

Common Questions

Visit the federal OSHA website for some common safety and health compliance questions.