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Utilities · Waterloo, IA

City of Waterloo

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), City of Waterloo has a concerning safety record: 12 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 5% by penalty92% serious
$54,004
OSHA penalties
12
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
$0
Back wages owed

City of Waterloo in Waterloo, IA has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 12 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $54,004. The employer also has 1 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) case on record, covering Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement. 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 Waterloo 2 times over 2 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 12 violations, averaging 6.0 per inspection - a notably high rate. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 5% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 11 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 moderately below peers (0.8x 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, Capital Power in Southport, NC is another utilities employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

6.0
violations per inspection
91.7%
of violations were serious
95%
of penalized employers rank lower
$0
in back wages recovered

How City of Waterloo compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Utilities per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows City of Waterloo runs far above peers (9.9x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

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

Where this penalty ranks nationally

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

$54,004 Bottom 5% least affordable more affordable than 5% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). This entry sits in this band. This employer $0 $55,000 every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

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 Waterloo

The federal enforcement record for City of Waterloo in Waterloo, IA includes 2 OSHA inspections and 12 violations, translating to 6.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 11 (91.7%) 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 $70,508 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $54,004 - a 23.4% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $27,002. Against the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer, this record runs far above peers (9.9x 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 2021-08-04 to 2023-07-12, a window of roughly 2 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2021-08-04

Last Inspection

2023-07-12

Inspection Span

2 yrs

Violations / Inspection

6.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$27,002

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,100

What this shows 2 inspections over 2 years, averaging 6.0 violations per visit. That's $27,002 per inspection vs. the Utilities average of $2,100.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

11

Serious

91.7% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

Other-Than-Serious

8.3% 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

$70,508

Current Penalty Amount

$54,004

Penalty Reduction

23.4%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$54,004

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $16,504 from the initial assessment of $70,508. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

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

Industry Safety Context: Utilities

How City of Waterloo compares to the Utilities sector, which has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric City of Waterloo Industry Avg
Inspections 2 2.6
Violations 12 6.1
Total Penalty $54,004 $5,434
Avg Penalty per Inspection $27,002 $2,100
View all 3,034 employers in Utilities →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Utilities

Heliocol Green Energy Solar, Inc
Tempe, AZ
0 inspections $0
Capital Power
Southport, NC
0 inspections $0
North Jersey District Water Supply Commission
Wanaque, NJ
9 inspections $55,000
Township of East Brunswick Sewer Utility
East Brunswick, NJ
4 inspections $53,000
Erus Builders
Phoenix, AZ
0 inspections $0

Compare City of Waterloo vs Heliocol Green Energy Solar, Inc side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Waterloo safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, City of Waterloo's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 12 violations across 2 inspections, including 11 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 Waterloo have? ▼
City of Waterloo has 12 OSHA violations on record, including 11 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $54,004.
How many OSHA inspections has City of Waterloo had? ▼
City of Waterloo has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2021-08-04 and the most recent on 2023-07-12. This averages 6.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for City of Waterloo? ▼
City of Waterloo has been assessed $54,004 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $70,508 (a 23.4% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does City of Waterloo have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. City of Waterloo has 11 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 City of Waterloo been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against City of Waterloo, resulting in $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does City of Waterloo operate in? ▼
City of Waterloo operates in the Utilities sector (NAICS code 221320). This industry has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 7,850 total OSHA inspections and $16.49M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if City of Waterloo owes me wages? ▼
If you believe City of Waterloo 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 City of Waterloo's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
City of Waterloo's total OSHA penalty of $54,004 is above the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer (9.9x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Capital Power in Southport, NC is a similar utilities employer with $0 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

Utilities Industry

All 3,034 employers in this sector
Employers in IA

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Safety Rankings

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What to check next

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

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.

Verify with OSHA establishment search →

Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 2 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.