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Healthcare & Social Assistance · New York, NY

Columbia University

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Columbia University has a mixed safety record: 3 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Upper half by penalty100% serious
$8,925
OSHA penalties
3
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
$0
Back wages owed

Columbia University in New York, NY has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 3 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $8,925. 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 Columbia University 2 times over 3 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 3 violations, averaging 1.5 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the upper half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 3 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of 1 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (3.0x 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, Retirement Plus of San Carlos II in San Carlos, CA is another healthcare & social assistance employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

1.5
violations per inspection
100.0%
of violations were serious
61%
of penalized employers rank lower
$0
in back wages recovered

How Columbia University compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Healthcare & Social Assistance per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Columbia University runs far above peers (7.6x 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

$8,925 Bottom 39% least affordable more affordable than 39% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). Above this entry. 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 Columbia University

The federal enforcement record for Columbia University in New York, NY includes 2 OSHA inspections and 3 violations, translating to 1.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 3 (100.0%) 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 $12,750 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $8,925 - a 30.0% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $4,463. Against the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of $1,177 per employer, this record runs far above peers (7.6x 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 2012-02-23 to 2014-09-17, a window of roughly 3 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2012-02-23

Last Inspection

2014-09-17

Inspection Span

3 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$4,463

Industry Avg / Inspection

$1,756

What this shows 2 inspections over 3 years, averaging 1.5 violations per visit. That's $4,463 per inspection vs. the Healthcare & Social Assistance average of $1,756.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

3

Serious

100.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% 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

$12,750

Current Penalty Amount

$8,925

Penalty Reduction

30.0%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$8,925

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $3,825 from the initial assessment of $12,750. 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: Healthcare & Social Assistance

How Columbia University compares to the Healthcare & Social Assistance sector, which has 18,008 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Columbia University Industry Avg
Inspections 2 0.7
Violations 3 1.1
Total Penalty $8,925 $1,177
Avg Penalty per Inspection $4,463 $1,756
View all 18,008 employers in Healthcare & Social Assistance →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Healthcare & Social Assistance

Disabled, Elderly and Needy Services, INC.
Shawano, WI
4 inspections $8,925
Gardenia PHC Services LLC
McAllen, TX
0 inspections $0
Retirement Plus of San Carlos II
San Carlos, CA
0 inspections $0
The Growing Palace
Sewell, NJ
0 inspections $0
Willowbrook Assisted Living
Lake City, FL
0 inspections $0

Compare Columbia University vs Disabled, Elderly and Needy Services, INC. side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Columbia University safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Columbia University's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 3 violations across 2 inspections, including 3 serious violations. Compared to Healthcare & Social Assistance industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Columbia University have? ▼
Columbia University has 3 OSHA violations on record, including 3 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $8,925.
How many OSHA inspections has Columbia University had? ▼
Columbia University has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2012-02-23 and the most recent on 2014-09-17. This averages 1.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Columbia University? ▼
Columbia University has been assessed $8,925 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $12,750 (a 30.0% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does Columbia University have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Columbia University has 3 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 Columbia University been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Columbia University, 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 Columbia University operate in? ▼
Columbia University operates in the Healthcare & Social Assistance sector (NAICS code 622110). This industry has 18,008 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 12,069 total OSHA inspections and $21.20M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if Columbia University owes me wages? ▼
If you believe Columbia University 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 Columbia University's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Columbia University's total OSHA penalty of $8,925 is above the Healthcare & Social Assistance industry average of $1,177 per employer (7.6x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 0.7 per employer. For a direct comparison, Retirement Plus of San Carlos II in San Carlos, CA is a similar healthcare & social assistance employer with $0 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

Healthcare & Social Assistance Industry

All 18,008 employers in this sector
Employers in NY

All inspected employers in this state
Safety Rankings

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What to check next

Columbia University'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.