Construction · Sioux Falls, SD

First Rate Excavate, INC.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), First Rate Excavate, INC. has a relatively clean safety record: 2 violations across 5 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 25% by penalty50% serious
$14,436
OSHA penalties
2
Violations cited
5
OSHA inspections
$0
Back wages owed

First Rate Excavate, INC. in Sioux Falls, SD has been the subject of 5 OSHA workplace inspections and 2 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $14,436. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected First Rate Excavate, INC. 5 times over 9 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 2 violations, averaging 0.4 per inspection, on the lighter side. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top quarter of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 1 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Construction industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (2.5x 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, Vertex Contractors, LLC in El Paso, TX is another construction employer with 1 OSHA inspection on record and $1,500 in current penalties.

0.4
violations per inspection
50.0%
of violations were serious
75%
of penalized employers rank lower
$0
in back wages recovered

How First Rate Excavate, INC. compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Construction per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows First Rate Excavate, INC. runs well above peers (2.1x 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

$14,436 Bottom 25% least affordable more affordable than 25% 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 First Rate Excavate, INC.

The federal enforcement record for First Rate Excavate, INC. in Sioux Falls, SD includes 5 OSHA inspections and 2 violations, translating to 0.40 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 1 (50.0%) 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 $14,436 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $14,436 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,887. Against the Construction industry average of $6,751 per employer, this record runs well above peers (2.1x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2016-10-26 to 2026-04-21, a window of roughly 9 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

5

First Inspection

2016-10-26

Last Inspection

2026-04-21

Inspection Span

9 yrs

Violations / Inspection

0.4

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$2,887

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,361

What this shows 5 inspections over 9 years, averaging 0.4 violations per visit. That's $2,887 per inspection vs. the Construction average of $3,361.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

1

Serious

50.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

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.

Enforcement detail

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed

$14,436

Current Penalty Amount

$14,436

Penalty Reduction

None

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$14,436

What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$0
Employees Affected
0
WHD Violations
1

Industry Safety Context: Construction

How First Rate Excavate, INC. compares to the Construction sector, which has 61,413 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric First Rate Excavate, INC. Industry Avg
Inspections 5 2.0
Violations 2 3.3
Total Penalty $14,436 $6,751
Avg Penalty per Inspection $2,887 $3,361

Nearby & Similar Employers in Construction

Compare First Rate Excavate, INC. vs Vertex Contractors, LLC side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is First Rate Excavate, INC. safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, First Rate Excavate, INC.'s workplace safety record is relatively clean, with fewer violations than typical. The employer has 2 violations across 5 inspections, including 1 serious violations. Compared to Construction industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does First Rate Excavate, INC. have?
First Rate Excavate, INC. has 2 OSHA violations on record, including 1 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $14,436.
How many OSHA inspections has First Rate Excavate, INC. had?
First Rate Excavate, INC. has had 5 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2016-10-26 and the most recent on 2026-04-21. This averages 0.4 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for First Rate Excavate, INC.?
First Rate Excavate, INC. has been assessed $14,436 in current OSHA penalties. Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does First Rate Excavate, INC. have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. First Rate Excavate, INC. has 1 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 First Rate Excavate, INC. been cited for wage theft?
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against First Rate Excavate, INC., 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 First Rate Excavate, INC. operate in?
First Rate Excavate, INC. operates in the Construction sector (NAICS code 238910). This industry has 61,413 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 123,350 total OSHA inspections and $414.57M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if First Rate Excavate, INC. owes me wages?
If you believe First Rate Excavate, 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 $0 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
How does First Rate Excavate, INC.'s safety record compare to industry average?
First Rate Excavate, INC.'s total OSHA penalty of $14,436 is above the Construction industry average of $6,751 per employer (2.1x the average). The employer has 5 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.0 per employer. For a direct comparison, Vertex Contractors, LLC in El Paso, TX is a similar construction employer with $1,500 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

What to check next

First Rate Excavate, INC.'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.

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.