Environmental Crimes/OSHA

The District Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the unique environment of Los Angeles through the aggressive enforcement of environmental laws. Specially trained prosecutors and investigators work to enforce environmental and workplace safety laws.

Environmental Crimes

Some of the more common environmental offenses investigated and prosecuted include the following:

• The illegal transportation, treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous waste
• Oil spills
• Fraudulent certification of automobile smog tests

Regulatory agencies, private citizens, and private action groups all refer environmental issues for possible investigation and prosecution. District Attorney investigators often serve as the primary investigators on the matters.

To increase the efficiency of investigation and prosecution efforts, the District Attorney’s Office hosts the Los Angeles County Environmental Strike Force meeting on a monthly basis. The Strike Force aims to coordinate efforts to combat environmental crimes. The following agencies are members of the Strike Force:

Los Angeles County Fire Department
Health Hazardous Materials Division

Los Angels County Department of Public Works
Waste Management Division

City of Los Angeles
Industrial Waste Management Division

County Sanitation Districts

South Coast Air Quality Management District

California Highway Patrol

California Department of Fish and Game
Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response

California Environmental Protection Agency
Criminal Investigation Branch
Surveillance and Enforcement Unit

California Department of Consumer Affairs
Bureau of Automotive Repair

Department of Industrial Relations
Division of Occupational Safety and Health
Bureau of Investigations

Workplace Safety Crimes/Occupational Safety and Health Administration

In addition to prosecuting environmental crimes, the District Attorney's Office leads in the state in the prosecution of workplace safety crimes. Workplace safety violations result in an average of two to three worker deaths every month in Los Angeles County. The District Attorney’s Office has obtained dozens of criminal convictions for OSHA violations.

Recently, the District Attorney’s Office have developed a 72-hour protocol that insures the early evaluation of the circumstances surrounding an employee death. This enables the District Attorney’s Office to quickly determine if additional investigation may result in a criminal prosecution.

Environmental Crimes/OSHA Division
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
201 North Figueroa Street, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 580-8777

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Site updated: 01 Feb 2006
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