Utilities · Chicago, IL
City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management has a concerning safety record: 30 violations across 16 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $48,000
- OSHA penalties
- 30
- Violations cited
- 16
- OSHA inspections
- $0
- Back wages owed
City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management in Chicago, IL has been the subject of 16 OSHA workplace inspections and 30 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $48,000. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. 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 - Dept. of Water Management 16 times over 13 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 30 violations, averaging 1.9 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 5% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 25 were classified as serious and 4 as willful - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Utilities industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (6.2x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. For comparison, Naknek Electric Association in Naknek, AK is another utilities employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $47,754 in current penalties.
- 1.9
- violations per inspection
- 83.3%
- of violations were serious
- 95%
- of penalized employers rank lower
- $0
- in back wages recovered
How this employer compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Utilities per-employer average
- City of Chicago - Dept…
City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management
$48,000 in penalties
- Utilities avg $5,434
Utilities industry average (per employer)
$5,434 in penalties
What this shows City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management runs far above peers (8.8x 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
$48,000 Bottom 5% least affordable more affordable than 5% 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 - Dept. of Water Management
The federal enforcement record for City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management in Chicago, IL includes 16 OSHA inspections and 30 violations, translating to 1.88 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 25 (83.3%) were classified as serious, 4 (13.3%) as willful, and 1 (3.3%) 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 $48,000 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $48,000 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $3,000. Against the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer, this record runs far above peers (8.8x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers.
Inspection activity spans from 2012-07-19 to 2025-11-19, a window of roughly 13 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
16
First Inspection
2012-07-19
Last Inspection
2025-11-19
Inspection Span
13 yrs
Violations / Inspection
1.9
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$3,000
Industry Avg / Inspection
$2,100
What this shows 16 inspections over 13 years, averaging 1.9 violations per visit. That's $3,000 per inspection vs. the Utilities average of $2,100.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
25
Serious
83.3% of total
4
Willful
13.3% of total
1
Repeat
3.3% of total
0
Other-Than-Serious
0.0% 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.
Enforcement detail
Penalty Analysis
Initial Penalty Assessed
$48,000
Current Penalty Amount
$48,000
Penalty Reduction
None
Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)
$48,000
What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.
Wage & Hour Findings
Industry Safety Context: Utilities
How City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management compares to the Utilities sector, which has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 16 | 2.6 |
| Violations | 30 | 6.1 |
| Total Penalty | $48,000 | $5,434 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $3,000 | $2,100 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Utilities
Compare City of Chicago - Dept. of Water Management vs Allamuchy Township side-by-side →
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What to check next
City of Chicago - Dept. 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 - Dept. 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.