Manufacturing · Watertown, SD
Dakota Bodies, LLC
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Dakota Bodies, LLC ranks #689 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 30 violations across 3 inspections.
- $174,959
- OSHA penalties
- 30
- Violations cited
- 3
- OSHA inspections
- #689
- of 99,447 penalized employers
Dakota Bodies, LLC in Watertown, SD has been the subject of 3 OSHA workplace inspections and 30 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $174,959. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.
The record in one line
OSHA has inspected Dakota Bodies, LLC 3 times over 4 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections turned up 30 violations, averaging 10.0 per inspection - an extremely dense concentration of citations. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #689 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top 1% of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 1 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.2x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Carthage Specialty Paperboard, INC. in Carthage, NY is another manufacturing employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $175,000 in current penalties.
- 10.0
- violations per inspection
- 3.3%
- of violations were serious
- #689
- of 99,447 penalized employers
Compliance score
- F OSHA safety compliance: 30 violations across 3 OSHA inspections (10.0 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.
Channels are separate federal datasets: a dimension marked not applicable simply has no record in that dataset for this employer, not a good or bad score.
How Dakota Bodies, LLC compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average
- Dakota Bodies, LLC
Dakota Bodies, LLC
$174,959 in penalties
- Manufacturing avg $15,763
Manufacturing industry average (per employer)
$15,763 in penalties
What this shows Dakota Bodies, LLC runs far above peers (11.1x 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
$174,959 Bottom 1% least affordable more affordable than 1% of 99,447 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
Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?
Each dot is one of 21 Manufacturing employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Dakota Bodies, LLC.
Dakota Bodies, LLC in the Manufacturing enforcement ledger
Among 35,243 Manufacturing employers with OSHA penalties on file, Dakota Bodies, LLC ranks #374 at $174,959 current penalty.
How Dakota Bodies, LLC Compares
Dakota Bodies, LLC's 10.00 violations per inspection compares to the Manufacturing sector average of 8.0 violations per employer.
Against the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs far above peers (11.1x the sector average).
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
3
First Inspection
2018-10-30
Last Inspection
2023-01-24
Inspection Span
4 yrs
Violations / Inspection
10.0
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$58,320
Industry Avg / Inspection
$6,093
What this shows 3 inspections over 4 years, averaging 10.0 violations per visit. That's $58,320 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,093.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
1
Serious
3.3% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
1
Repeat
3.3% of total
28
Other-Than-Serious
93.3% 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
$237,355
Current Penalty Amount
$174,959
Penalty Reduction
26.3%
What this shows Penalties were reduced by $62,396 from the initial assessment of $237,355. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.
Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing
How Dakota Bodies, LLC compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | Dakota Bodies, LLC | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 3 | 2.6 |
| Violations | 30 | 8.0 |
| Total Penalty | $174,959 | $15,763 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $58,320 | $6,093 |
Nationwide Manufacturing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts
Two OSHA-record peer sets for Dakota Bodies, LLC, both outside SD so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.
Similar current OSHA penalty
Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($174,959 here).
Similar OSHA inspection count
Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (3 inspections here).
Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing
Showing 5 of 44644 other employers tracked in this sector.
What to do with this record
Use Dakota Bodies, LLC's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.
- A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Dakota Bodies, LLC against Challenge Manufacturing Company DBA Black River Stamping, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
- See whether Dakota Bodies, LLC's inspection and penalty record is typical for Manufacturing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Manufacturing sector
- Before you accept a job or raise a safety concern, search any employer for its own OSHA inspection history the same way you found this one. Search employers
Figures reflect closed OSHA and WHD federal enforcement actions on record (2010–2026); not every workplace issue results in an inspection or investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dakota Bodies, LLC safe to work at? ▼
How many OSHA violations does Dakota Bodies, LLC have? ▼
How many OSHA inspections has Dakota Bodies, LLC had? ▼
What is the total penalty amount for Dakota Bodies, LLC? ▼
Does Dakota Bodies, LLC have any serious or willful violations? ▼
What industry does Dakota Bodies, LLC operate in? ▼
Where does Dakota Bodies, LLC rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
How does Dakota Bodies, LLC's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
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.