Manufacturing · CHICAGO, IL

CARDINAL PALLET CO.

OSHA records show a mixed safety record: 6 violations across 5 inspections — below the Manufacturing industry average for penalties.

5
OSHA inspections
6
Violations cited
$10,948
OSHA penalties
$0
Back wages owed

CARDINAL PALLET CO. in CHICAGO, IL has been the subject of 5 OSHA workplace inspections and 6 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $10,948. The employer also has Wage and Hour Division (WHD) compliance actions on record, covering Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement including minimum wage and overtime violations. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

CARDINAL PALLET CO. has been inspected 5 times by OSHA over 7 years. These inspections resulted in 6 violations, averaging 1.2 violations per inspection. Of these, 5 were classified as serious — indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Compared to the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, CARDINAL PALLET CO. has been inspected more frequently. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $0 in back wages owed to 0 workers.

1.2
violations per inspection
83.3%
of violations were serious
0.67×
Manufacturing industry-avg penalty
$0
in back wages recovered

How CARDINAL PALLET CO. compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows CARDINAL PALLET CO. sits below the Manufacturing per-employer average, a comparatively lighter enforcement footprint than its peers.

Source U.S. Department of Labor — OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

What the Data Says About CARDINAL PALLET CO.

The federal enforcement record for CARDINAL PALLET CO. in CHICAGO, IL includes 5 OSHA inspections and 6 violations, translating to 1.20 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 5 (83.3%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.

OSHA assessed $18,627 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $10,948 — a 41.2% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,190. Against the Manufacturing industry average of $16,300 per employer, this record runs below peers. The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $0 in back wages owed to 0 affected workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2011-01-07 to 2018-05-10, a window of roughly 7 years. This record draws directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's public enforcement data at data.dol.gov. Penalty amounts reflect final adjudicated figures after any settlement, informal conference, or formal contest. Workers, journalists, and researchers can use these figures to compare this employer's compliance posture against industry peers and to identify workplaces with elevated safety risks or repeat non-compliance.

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections
5
First Inspection
2011-01-07
Last Inspection
2018-05-10
Inspection Span
7 years
Violations per Inspection
1.2
Avg Penalty per Inspection
$2,190
Industry Avg per Inspection
$6,447

Violation Breakdown

5
Serious
83.3% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
0
Repeat
0.0% of total
1
Other-Than-Serious
16.7% of total

Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed
$18,627
Current Penalty Amount
$10,948
Penalty Reduction
41.2%

Penalties were reduced by $7,679 from the initial assessment of $18,627. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Combined Financial Impact (OSHA + WHD)
$10,948

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$0
Employees Affected
0
WHD Violations
0

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How CARDINAL PALLET CO. compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 14,000 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric CARDINAL PALLET CO. Industry Avg
Inspections 5 2.5
Violations 6 8.0
Total Penalty $10,948 $16,300
Avg Penalty per Inspection $2,190 $6,447

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is CARDINAL PALLET CO. safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, CARDINAL PALLET CO.'s workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 6 violations across 5 inspections, including 5 serious violations. Compared to Manufacturing industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does CARDINAL PALLET CO. have?
CARDINAL PALLET CO. has 6 OSHA violations on record, including 5 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $10,948.
How many OSHA inspections has CARDINAL PALLET CO. had?
CARDINAL PALLET CO. has had 5 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-01-07 and the most recent on 2018-05-10. This averages 1.2 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for CARDINAL PALLET CO.?
CARDINAL PALLET CO. has been assessed $10,948 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $18,627 (a 41.2% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does CARDINAL PALLET CO. have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. CARDINAL PALLET CO. has 5 serious violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
Has CARDINAL PALLET CO. been cited for wage theft?
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against CARDINAL PALLET CO., resulting in $0 in back wages owed to 0 affected employee. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does CARDINAL PALLET CO. operate in?
CARDINAL PALLET CO. operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 321920). This industry has 14,000 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 35,397 total OSHA inspections and $228.20M in cumulative penalties.
What are my rights if I work at CARDINAL PALLET CO.?
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employees at CARDINAL PALLET CO. have the right to a safe workplace, the right to report hazards without retaliation, the right to request an OSHA inspection, and the right to access their own exposure and medical records. Workers can also refuse dangerous work if they believe they face imminent danger and their employer has failed to address the hazard.
How do I file an OSHA complaint against CARDINAL PALLET CO.?
You can file a complaint with OSHA online at osha.gov/workers/file-complaint, by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or by visiting your local OSHA area office. Complaints can be filed confidentially. OSHA is required to respond to all complaints and will prioritize those alleging imminent danger. You are protected from employer retaliation under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
What should I do if CARDINAL PALLET CO. owes me wages?
If you believe CARDINAL PALLET CO. owes you wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints or by calling 1-866-487-9243. WHD investigates violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act including unpaid minimum wage, overtime, and unauthorized deductions. The DOL has previously found $0 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
How does CARDINAL PALLET CO.'s safety record compare to industry average?
CARDINAL PALLET CO.'s total OSHA penalty of $10,948 is below the Manufacturing industry average of $16,300 per employer. The employer has 5 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.5 per employer.

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Data Sources & Methodology

Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data

Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.

Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.

Employer Matching

Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.

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