Utilities · Chicago, IL

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), City of Chicago - Department of Water Management has a concerning safety record: 35 violations across 14 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 25% by penalty77% serious

Compiled byPlainworker Editorial, Workplace Safety Editorial Team · July 8, 2026

$21,500
OSHA penalties: 35
Violations cited: 14
OSHA inspections: #16,150
of 100,495 penalized employers

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management in Chicago, IL has been the subject of 14 OSHA workplace inspections and 35 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $21,500. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected City of Chicago - Department of Water Management 14 times over 13 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 35 violations, averaging 2.5 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top quarter of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 27 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Utilities industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (5.4x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Camden County Mua in Camden, NJ is another utilities employer with 5 OSHA inspections on record and $21,600 in current penalties.

2.5
violations per inspection: 77.1%
of violations were serious: 84%
of penalized employers rank lower

City of Chicago - Depa…

$21,500
Utilities avg

$5,434

What this shows City of Chicago - Department of Water Management runs well above peers (4.0x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$21,500 Bottom 16% least affordable more affordable than 16% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026

What the Data Says About City of Chicago - Department of Water Management

The federal enforcement record for City of Chicago - Department of Water Management in Chicago, IL includes 14 OSHA inspections and 35 violations, translating to 2.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 27 (77.1%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 5 (14.3%) 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 $21,500 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $21,500 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $1,536. Against the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer, this record runs well above peers (4.0x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2010-09-02 to 2024-01-22, a window of roughly 13 years.

Total Inspections

First Inspection

2010-09-02

Last Inspection

2024-01-22

Inspection Span

13 yrs

Violations / Inspection

2.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$1,536

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,100

What this shows 14 inspections over 13 years, averaging 2.5 violations per visit. That's $1,536 per inspection vs. the Utilities average of $2,100.

Serious

77.1% of total

Willful

0.0% of total

Repeat

14.3% of total

Other-Than-Serious

8.6% of total

What this shows 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.

Initial Penalty Assessed

$21,500

Current Penalty Amount

$21,500

Penalty Reduction

None

What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.

Industry Safety Context: Utilities

How City of Chicago - Department of Water Management compares to the Utilities sector, which has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric	City of Chicago - Department of Water Management	Industry Avg
Inspections	14	2.6
Violations	35	6.1
Total Penalty	$21,500	$5,434
Avg Penalty per Inspection	$1,536	$2,100

View all 3,034 employers in Utilities →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Utilities

National O & M, Inc

Las Vegas, NV

0 inspections $0

Acs Industrial Activities, INC

Tonopah, NV

3 inspections $21,557

ST. Croix Gas, INC.

Christiansted, VI

2 inspections $21,432

Camden County Mua

Camden, NJ

5 inspections $21,600

Great River Hydro, LLC

Readsboro, VT

2 inspections $21,829

Compare City of Chicago - Department of Water Management vs National O & M, Inc side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Chicago - Department of Water Management safe to work at? ▼

Based on OSHA records, City of Chicago - Department of Water Management's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 35 violations across 14 inspections, including 27 serious violations. Compared to Utilities industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.

How many OSHA violations does City of Chicago - Department of Water Management have? ▼

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management has 35 OSHA violations on record, including 27 serious, 0 willful, and 5 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $21,500.

How many OSHA inspections has City of Chicago - Department of Water Management had? ▼

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management has had 14 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-09-02 and the most recent on 2024-01-22. This averages 2.5 violations per inspection.

What is the total penalty amount for City of Chicago - Department of Water Management? ▼

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management has been assessed $21,500 in current OSHA penalties.

Does City of Chicago - Department of Water Management have any serious or willful violations? ▼

Yes. City of Chicago - Department of Water Management has 27 serious violations, and 5 repeat violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.

What industry does City of Chicago - Department of Water Management operate in? ▼

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management operates in the Utilities sector (NAICS code 221310). This industry has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 7,850 total OSHA inspections and $16.49M in cumulative penalties.

How does City of Chicago - Department of Water Management's safety record compare to industry average? ▼

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management's total OSHA penalty of $21,500 is above the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer (4.0x the average). The employer has 14 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Camden County Mua in Camden, NJ is a similar utilities employer with $21,600 in current penalties.

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What to check next

City of Chicago - Department of Water Management's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

See how City of Chicago - Department of Water Management compares to the 3,034 other employers in Utilities. Utilities record
Put this employer head-to-head with another on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
Review the full OSHA & wage-enforcement picture for IL. IL state record

These figures are the federal enforcement record on file and reflect past inspections, not a statement about current workplace conditions. See the disclaimer for how to read them.

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.