ClearCite is a safety-consulting service that helps small and mid-sized California manufacturers respond to Cal/OSHA citations inside the 15-day contest window. We prep your abatement documentation, your informal-conference packet, and your written Injury and Illness Prevention Program updates — so you can demonstrate good-faith compliance and pursue legitimate penalty reductions.
California's state plan moves faster than federal OSHA and has stricter documentation expectations. Miss either clock or fail the written-program check, and your penalty reduction window closes.
If you want to preserve your right to challenge the citation itself — classification, penalty amount, or the underlying facts — you must file a written Notice of Contest with the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board within 15 working days of receiving the citation. Miss this window and the citation becomes a final order.
California Labor Code § 6319(c)The informal conference is where good-faith abatement is documented and penalty reductions are commonly negotiated. You must request it in writing within the same 15-day window. Requesting an informal conference does not pause the contest clock — both deadlines run in parallel.
8 CCR § 336; Cal/OSHA Policy and Procedure C-10The attorney question. A defense lawyer who handles Cal/OSHA matters typically bills $400 to $650 per hour, with minimum retainers of $8,000 to $15,000 for a single citation — and most of the early work is documentation, not litigation. ClearCite handles the documentation layer at a fixed fee so your attorney (if you choose to hire one for formal contest) can focus on legal strategy. We are not a substitute for legal counsel, and we tell you directly when a citation is serious enough to warrant one.
Our process is designed around what Cal/OSHA inspectors and area directors actually look for during informal conferences: contemporaneous abatement evidence, a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program that covers the cited hazard, and a documented good-faith record.
Upload your citation packet. A certified safety consultant reviews each cited standard, classifies risk, and maps every alleged violation to the specific 8 CCR section so nothing gets missed. You receive a scope memo within 48 hours.
We build your abatement documentation file — corrective-action photos, training records, engineering controls, equipment receipts, and hazard-specific written updates to your IIPP. The package is organized the way inspectors expect to see it, with a standards crosswalk and dated evidence trail.
We prepare two parallel packets: an informal-conference good-faith package for penalty-reduction negotiation, and a protective Notice of Contest if you decide to preserve your appeal rights. Both must be filed inside the statutory window — and they serve different strategic purposes.
Cal/OSHA's 2026 maximum penalty for a Serious violation is $16,550. Good-faith abatement, business size, and compliance history can support substantial reductions when properly documented. Here is a representative example, not a guarantee.
Actual outcomes vary by citation classification, employer size, compliance history, and documentation quality. Past results are not a guarantee of future reductions.
"A 38-person fabrication shop in Vernon, California receives a Serious Cal/OSHA citation for machine guarding and a written IIPP deficiency. Initial proposed penalty: $16,550 plus an Other-than-Serious. Within 14 days, the owner has a complete abatement-evidence package, a revised written IIPP that covers the cited hazard, and an informal-conference packet. After the conference, the combined penalty is reduced based on documented good-faith abatement and business-size factors. Total ClearCite fee: $2,500."
Every engagement begins with a free citation review. If we don't see a clear path to a documented good-faith response, we'll say so.
We are not a law firm. ClearCite does not provide legal advice, does not represent employers in formal Cal/OSHA Appeals Board proceedings, and does not appear at hearings or in court. Our work is performed by certified safety consultants and focuses on abatement documentation, written-program updates, and informal-conference preparation.
When to hire an attorney. If you face a Willful or Repeat citation, a Serious citation above $50,000, any citation involving a workplace fatality or serious injury, or you intend to pursue a formal contest before an administrative law judge, you should retain a licensed California attorney with Cal/OSHA experience. We will tell you directly when we think you need one.
Documentation prepared by ClearCite is not attorney work product and is not protected by attorney-client privilege. Engaging ClearCite does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Upload is optional on the form below — you can also email the packet directly after submission. A certified safety consultant will review the cited standards, classify risk, and send a scope memo with a recommendation.