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Utilities · Detroit, MI

Detroit Water & Sewerage Department

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Detroit Water & Sewerage Department has a mixed safety record: 9 violations across 5 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Upper half by penalty78% serious
$12,200
OSHA penalties
9
Violations cited
5
OSHA inspections
#29,653
of 100,495 penalized employers

Detroit Water & Sewerage Department in Detroit, MI has been the subject of 5 OSHA workplace inspections and 9 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $12,200. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Detroit Water & Sewerage Department 5 times over 7 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 9 violations, averaging 1.8 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the upper half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 7 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 above peers (1.9x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, City of Falmouth in Falmouth, KY is another utilities employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $12,250 in current penalties.

1.8
violations per inspection
77.8%
of violations were serious
70%
of penalized employers rank lower

How this employer compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Utilities per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Detroit Water & Sewerage Department runs well above peers (2.2x 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

$12,200 Bottom 30% least affordable more affordable than 30% 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 Detroit Water & Sewerage Department

The federal enforcement record for Detroit Water & Sewerage Department in Detroit, MI includes 5 OSHA inspections and 9 violations, translating to 1.80 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 7 (77.8%) 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 $16,400 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $12,200 - a 25.6% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,440. Against the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer, this record runs well above peers (2.2x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2014-10-16 to 2021-09-28, a window of roughly 7 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

5

First Inspection

2014-10-16

Last Inspection

2021-09-28

Inspection Span

7 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.8

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$2,440

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,100

What this shows 5 inspections over 7 years, averaging 1.8 violations per visit. That's $2,440 per inspection vs. the Utilities average of $2,100.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

7

Serious

77.8% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

2

Other-Than-Serious

22.2% 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

$16,400

Current Penalty Amount

$12,200

Penalty Reduction

25.6%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $4,200 from the initial assessment of $16,400. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Utilities

How Detroit Water & Sewerage Department compares to the Utilities sector, which has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Detroit Water & Sewerage Department Industry Avg
Inspections 5 2.6
Violations 9 6.1
Total Penalty $12,200 $5,434
Avg Penalty per Inspection $2,440 $2,100
View all 3,034 employers in Utilities →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Utilities

Safe Tech
White Plains, NY
0 inspections $0
The NLS Group
Meredith, NH
0 inspections $0
Fibrominn LLC
Benson, MN
3 inspections $12,250
City of Falmouth
Falmouth, KY
2 inspections $12,250
Des Moines, City of
Des Moines, IA
2 inspections $12,150

Compare Detroit Water & Sewerage Department vs Safe Tech side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Detroit Water & Sewerage Department safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Detroit Water & Sewerage Department's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 9 violations across 5 inspections, including 7 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 Detroit Water & Sewerage Department have? ▼
Detroit Water & Sewerage Department has 9 OSHA violations on record, including 7 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $12,200.
How many OSHA inspections has Detroit Water & Sewerage Department had? ▼
Detroit Water & Sewerage Department has had 5 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2014-10-16 and the most recent on 2021-09-28. This averages 1.8 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Detroit Water & Sewerage Department? ▼
Detroit Water & Sewerage Department has been assessed $12,200 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $16,400 (a 25.6% reduction).
Does Detroit Water & Sewerage Department have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Detroit Water & Sewerage Department 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.
What industry does Detroit Water & Sewerage Department operate in? ▼
Detroit Water & Sewerage Department operates in the Utilities sector (NAICS code 221310). This industry has 3,034 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 7,850 total OSHA inspections and $16.49M in cumulative penalties.
How does Detroit Water & Sewerage Department's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Detroit Water & Sewerage Department's total OSHA penalty of $12,200 is above the Utilities industry average of $5,434 per employer (2.2x the average). The employer has 5 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, City of Falmouth in Falmouth, KY is a similar utilities employer with $12,250 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

Utilities Industry

All 3,034 employers in this sector
Employers in MI

All inspected employers in this state
Safety Rankings

Most penalized, repeat violators & more

What to check next

Detroit Water & Sewerage Department's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

  • See how Detroit Water & Sewerage Department compares to the 3,034 other employers in Utilities. Utilities record
  • Put this employer head-to-head with another on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
  • Review the full OSHA & wage-enforcement picture for MI. MI state record

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