Educational Services · Des Moines, IA

Des Moines Public Schools

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Des Moines Public Schools has a mixed safety record: 5 violations across 6 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Upper half by penalty60% serious
$13,300
OSHA penalties
5
Violations cited
6
OSHA inspections
#27,352
of 100,495 penalized employers

Des Moines Public Schools in Des Moines, IA has been the subject of 6 OSHA workplace inspections and 5 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $13,300. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Des Moines Public Schools 6 times over 10 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 5 violations, averaging 0.8 per inspection, on the lighter side. 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 Educational Services industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (2.4x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, DE Esc Reacreditada Ofelia Diaz in Vega Baja, PR is another educational services employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $13,250 in current penalties.

0.8
violations per inspection
60.0%
of violations were serious
73%
of penalized employers rank lower

How Des Moines Public Schools compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Educational Services per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Des Moines Public Schools runs well above peers (4.4x 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

$13,300 Bottom 27% least affordable more affordable than 27% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Des Moines Public Schools

The federal enforcement record for Des Moines Public Schools in Des Moines, IA includes 6 OSHA inspections and 5 violations, translating to 0.83 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 3 (60.0%) 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 $21,274 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $13,300 - a 37.5% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,217. Against the Educational Services industry average of $3,013 per employer, this record runs well above peers (4.4x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2011-08-03 to 2021-07-13, a window of roughly 10 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

6

First Inspection

2011-08-03

Last Inspection

2021-07-13

Inspection Span

10 yrs

Violations / Inspection

0.8

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$2,217

Industry Avg / Inspection

$1,198

What this shows 6 inspections over 10 years, averaging 0.8 violations per visit. That's $2,217 per inspection vs. the Educational Services average of $1,198.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

3

Serious

60.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

2

Other-Than-Serious

40.0% 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

$21,274

Current Penalty Amount

$13,300

Penalty Reduction

37.5%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $7,974 from the initial assessment of $21,274. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Educational Services

How Des Moines Public Schools compares to the Educational Services sector, which has 3,199 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Des Moines Public Schools Industry Avg
Inspections 6 2.5
Violations 5 5.7
Total Penalty $13,300 $3,013
Avg Penalty per Inspection $2,217 $1,198

Nearby & Similar Employers in Educational Services

Compare Des Moines Public Schools vs DE Esc Reacreditada Ofelia Diaz side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Des Moines Public Schools safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Des Moines Public Schools's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 5 violations across 6 inspections, including 3 serious violations. Compared to Educational Services industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Des Moines Public Schools have?
Des Moines Public Schools has 5 OSHA violations on record, including 3 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $13,300.
How many OSHA inspections has Des Moines Public Schools had?
Des Moines Public Schools has had 6 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-08-03 and the most recent on 2021-07-13. This averages 0.8 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Des Moines Public Schools?
Des Moines Public Schools has been assessed $13,300 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $21,274 (a 37.5% reduction).
Does Des Moines Public Schools have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Des Moines Public Schools 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.
What industry does Des Moines Public Schools operate in?
Des Moines Public Schools operates in the Educational Services sector (NAICS code 611110). This industry has 3,199 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 8,044 total OSHA inspections and $9.64M in cumulative penalties.
How does Des Moines Public Schools's safety record compare to industry average?
Des Moines Public Schools's total OSHA penalty of $13,300 is above the Educational Services industry average of $3,013 per employer (4.4x the average). The employer has 6 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.5 per employer. For a direct comparison, DE Esc Reacreditada Ofelia Diaz in Vega Baja, PR is a similar educational services employer with $13,250 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Des Moines Public Schools'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.

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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 6 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.