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Employers › CO

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation · Denver, CO

Denver Zoological Foundation

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Denver Zoological Foundation ranks #17,611 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 12 violations across 2 inspections.

Top 25% by penalty58% serious
$20,000
OSHA penalties
12
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#17,611
of 99,447 penalized employers

Denver Zoological Foundation in Denver, CO 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: $20,000. 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 Denver Zoological Foundation 2 times over 1 year - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 12 violations, averaging 6.0 per inspection - a notably high rate. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #17,611 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 7 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.1x 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, Torresen Marine, INC. in Muskegon, MI is another arts, entertainment & recreation employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $19,800 in current penalties.

6.0
violations per inspection
58.3%
of violations were serious
#17,611
of 99,447 penalized employers
$0
in back wages recovered

Compliance score

F 48/100
  • F OSHA safety compliance: 12 violations across 2 OSHA inspections (6.0 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.
  • A Wage & hour compliance: $0 in back wages owed across 1 WHD case ($0 per case), vs. national p10 $2K (best) / p90 $58K (worst) among 91,622 employers with a WHD case on file.
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How Denver Zoological Foundation compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Denver Zoological Foundation runs well above peers (4.5x 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

$20,000 Bottom 18% least affordable more affordable than 18% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). This entry sits in this band. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,095 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 785 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,150 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

Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?

Each dot is one of 21 Arts, Entertainment & Recreation employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Denver Zoological Foundation.

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both1.92.022.02.003.97.911.815.8OSHA inspectionsViolations citedMEDIEVAL KNIGHTS, LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5THE TRAINING RANGE, …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 12IDL WHEEL TENANT, LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1FITNESS USA, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6HICKORY DICKORY DOCK…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3NAVAL AIR WEAPONS ST…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5PIONEER THEATRE COMP…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4NASSAU CO PR&M RIFLE…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4HERRIN PARK DISTRICT…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2DAVID H. KOCH THEATER, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 11CAVES VALLEY CLUB, I…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 15USA GUN CLUB, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2CAP SANTE MARINE LTD, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FL…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1BISHOP MUSEUM, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 12CASINO OF THE SUN, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4NOTTOWAY AMUSEMENT, …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 7YANKEE STADIUM LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2BODY-SOLID, INC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 0CITY OF ATLANTA - PU…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4Denver Zoological Fo…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 12
Denver Zoological Foundation has 2 OSHA inspections on record and 12 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Arts, Entertainment & Recreation peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Denver Zoological Foundation in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation enforcement ledger

Among 848 Arts, Entertainment & Recreation employers with OSHA penalties on file, Denver Zoological Foundation ranks #130 at $20,000 current penalty.

Combined federal exposure here: $20,000 OSHA penalties plus $0 WHD back wages (0.0% of the combined total is wage recovery).

How Denver Zoological Foundation Compares

Denver Zoological Foundation's 6.00 violations per inspection compares to the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector average of 5.1 violations per employer.

Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,481 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well above peers (4.5x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2019-02-12

Last Inspection

2019-04-05

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

6.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$10,000

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,537

What this shows 2 inspections over 1 year, averaging 6.0 violations per visit. That's $10,000 per inspection vs. the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation average of $2,537.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

7

Serious

58.3% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

5

Other-Than-Serious

41.7% 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

$34,098

Current Penalty Amount

$20,000

Penalty Reduction

41.3%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$20,000

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $14,098 from the initial assessment of $34,098. 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: Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

How Denver Zoological Foundation compares to the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector, which has 2,226 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Denver Zoological Foundation Industry Avg
Inspections 2 1.8
Violations 12 5.1
Total Penalty $20,000 $4,481
Avg Penalty per Inspection $10,000 $2,537
View all 2,226 employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation →

Nationwide Arts, Entertainment & Recreation peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Denver Zoological Foundation, both outside CO so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($20,000 here).

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo $20,000 IL Cedar Fair LP $20,000 PA Waldorf=Astoria Management LLC $20,170 CA FTP Golf Management LLC $19,810 CA

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (2 inspections here).

Medieval Knights, LLC 2 insp. Scottsdale, AZ The Training Range, INC. 2 insp. Youngstown, OH Idl Wheel Tenant, LLC 2 insp. Orlando, FL Fitness USA 2 insp. Royal Oak, MI

Nearby & Similar Employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

Showing 5 of 2225 other employers tracked in this sector.

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield, IL
3 inspections $20,000
Cedar Fair LP
Allentown, PA
2 inspections $20,000
Waldorf=Astoria Management LLC
LA Quinta, CA
2 inspections $20,170
FTP Golf Management LLC
Madera, CA
2 inspections $19,810
Torresen Marine, INC.
Muskegon, MI
3 inspections $19,800

Compare Denver Zoological Foundation vs The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Denver Zoological Foundation's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Denver Zoological Foundation against The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Denver Zoological Foundation's inspection and penalty record is typical for Arts, Entertainment & Recreation or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector
  • Denver Zoological Foundation also carries $0 in Wage and Hour Division back-wages, a separate enforcement track from OSHA safety violations. How wage-theft enforcement works

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 Denver Zoological Foundation safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Denver Zoological Foundation's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 12 violations across 2 inspections, including 7 serious violations. Compared to Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Denver Zoological Foundation have? ▼
Denver Zoological Foundation has 12 OSHA violations on record, including 7 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $20,000.
How many OSHA inspections has Denver Zoological Foundation had? ▼
Denver Zoological Foundation has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2019-02-12 and the most recent on 2019-04-05. This averages 6.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Denver Zoological Foundation? ▼
Denver Zoological Foundation has been assessed $20,000 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $34,098 (a 41.3% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does Denver Zoological Foundation have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Denver Zoological Foundation has 7 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 Denver Zoological Foundation been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Denver Zoological Foundation, 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 Denver Zoological Foundation operate in? ▼
Denver Zoological Foundation operates in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector (NAICS code 712130). This industry has 2,226 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 3,932 total OSHA inspections and $9.98M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if Denver Zoological Foundation owes me wages? ▼
If you believe Denver Zoological Foundation 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.
Where does Denver Zoological Foundation rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Denver Zoological Foundation ranks #17,611 (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). The ordinal is a live COUNT of employers with a lower total_current_penalty; see the methodology page for the exact derivation.
How does Denver Zoological Foundation's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Denver Zoological Foundation's total OSHA penalty of $20,000 is above the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,481 per employer (4.5x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, Torresen Marine, INC. in Muskegon, MI is a similar arts, entertainment & recreation employer with $19,800 in current penalties.
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.