Manufacturing · Greensboro, NC

Ecolab, Inc.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Ecolab, Inc. ranks #8,582 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 40 violations across 4 inspections.

Top 10% by penalty50% serious

Compiled by Plainworker · September 6, 2026

$34,800
OSHA penalties: 40
Violations cited: 4
OSHA inspections: #8,582
of 99,447 penalized employers

Ecolab, Inc. in Greensboro, NC has been the subject of 4 OSHA workplace inspections and 40 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $34,800. 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 kept close, sustained watch on Ecolab, Inc.: 4 inspections in 1 year, several times a year. These inspections turned up 40 violations, averaging 10.0 per inspection - an extremely dense concentration of citations. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #8,582 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top 10% of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 20 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs moderately above peers (1.5x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $424,769 in back wages owed to 445 affected workers. For comparison, Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals in Norcross, GA is another manufacturing employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

10.0
violations per inspection: 50.0%
of violations were serious: #8,582
of 99,447 penalized employers: $424,769
in back wages recovered

Compliance score

F 0/100

F OSHA safety compliance: 40 violations across 4 OSHA inspections (10.0 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.
F Wage & hour compliance: $425K in back wages owed across 1 WHD case ($425K per case), vs. national p10 $2K (best) / p90 $58K (worst) among 91,622 employers with a WHD case on file.

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Ecolab, Inc.

$34,800
Manufacturing avg

$15,763

What this shows Ecolab, Inc. runs well above peers (2.2x 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

$34,800 Bottom 9% least affordable more affordable than 9% 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 Ecolab, Inc..

Ecolab, Inc. has 4 OSHA inspections on record and 40 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Manufacturing peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Ecolab, Inc. in the Manufacturing enforcement ledger

Among 35,243 Manufacturing employers with OSHA penalties on file, Ecolab, Inc. ranks #4,310 at $34,800 current penalty. WHD back-wage recoveries in this sector place Ecolab, Inc. at rank #35 of 4,429 employers ($424,769 owed).

Combined federal exposure here: $34,800 OSHA penalties plus $424,769 WHD back wages (92.4% of the combined total is wage recovery).

How Ecolab, Inc. Compares

Ecolab, Inc.'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 well above peers (2.2x the sector average).

Total Inspections

First Inspection

2013-08-02

Last Inspection

2013-10-15

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

10.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$8,700

Industry Avg / Inspection

$6,093

What this shows 4 inspections over 1 year, averaging 10.0 violations per visit. That's $8,700 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,093.

Serious

50.0% of total

Willful

0.0% of total

Repeat

0.0% of total

Other-Than-Serious

50.0% 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.

Initial Penalty Assessed

$56,400

Current Penalty Amount

$34,800

Penalty Reduction

38.3%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$459,569

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $21,600 from the initial assessment of $56,400. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases

Back Wages Owed

$424,769

Employees Affected

445

WHD Violations

448

Avg Back Wages per Employee

$955

Avg Back Wages per CaseFar above average

$424,769

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Ecolab, Inc. owed $424,769 in back wages to 445 employees across 1 case and 448 violations. WHD enforces federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covering minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards.

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How Ecolab, Inc. compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric	Ecolab, Inc.	Industry Avg
Inspections	4	2.6
Violations	40	8.0
Total Penalty	$34,800	$15,763
Avg Penalty per Inspection	$8,700	$6,093

View all 44,645 employers in Manufacturing →

Nationwide Manufacturing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Ecolab, Inc., both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($34,800 here).

Alliance Paper Company, INC. $34,795 RI Idaho-Pacific Corporation $34,807 ID Excelsior Medical Corporation $34,792 NJ Stanley Electric U.S. CO., INC. $34,791 OH

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (4 inspections here).

TRP International, INC. 4 insp. Tonopah, NV Johnsonville, LLC 4 insp. Sheboygan Falls, WI Metso Minerals Industries INC. 4 insp. Warrenton, MO Valmont Utility 4 insp. El Dorado, KS

Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing

Showing 5 of 44644 other employers tracked in this sector.

Hutch Corporation

Virginia Beach, VA

4 inspections $458,545

Seaboard Triumph Foods

Sioux City, IA

20 inspections $132,017

Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals

Norcross, GA

0 inspections $0

Compare Ecolab, Inc. vs Hutch Corporation side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Ecolab, Inc.'s enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Ecolab, Inc. against Hutch Corporation, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
See whether Ecolab, Inc.'s inspection and penalty record is typical for Manufacturing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Manufacturing sector
Ecolab, Inc. also carries $424,769 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 Ecolab, Inc. safe to work at? ▼

Based on OSHA records, Ecolab, Inc.'s workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 40 violations across 4 inspections, including 20 serious violations. Compared to Manufacturing industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.

How many OSHA violations does Ecolab, Inc. have? ▼

Ecolab, Inc. has 40 OSHA violations on record, including 20 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $34,800.

How many OSHA inspections has Ecolab, Inc. had? ▼

Ecolab, Inc. has had 4 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2013-08-02 and the most recent on 2013-10-15. This averages 10.0 violations per inspection.

What is the total penalty amount for Ecolab, Inc.? ▼

Ecolab, Inc. has been assessed $34,800 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $56,400 (a 38.3% reduction). Additionally, $424,769 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.

Does Ecolab, Inc. have any serious or willful violations? ▼

Yes. Ecolab, Inc. has 20 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 Ecolab, Inc. been cited for wage theft? ▼

Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Ecolab, Inc., resulting in $424,769 in back wages owed to 445 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.

What industry does Ecolab, Inc. operate in? ▼

Ecolab, Inc. operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 325612). This industry has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 115,492 total OSHA inspections and $703.72M in cumulative penalties.

What should I do if Ecolab, Inc. owes me wages? ▼

If you believe Ecolab, Inc. 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 $424,769 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.

Where does Ecolab, Inc. rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼

Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Ecolab, Inc. ranks #8,582 (the top 10% 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 Ecolab, Inc.'s safety record compare to industry average? ▼

Ecolab, Inc.'s total OSHA penalty of $34,800 is above the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer (2.2x the average). The employer has 4 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals in Norcross, GA is a similar manufacturing employer with $0 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.