Public Administration · Newark, NJ

Northern State Prison

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Northern State Prison has a mixed safety record: 32 violations across 14 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 5% by penalty38% serious

Compiled byPlainworker Editorial, Workplace Safety Editorial Team · July 8, 2026

$77,000
OSHA penalties: 32
Violations cited: 14
OSHA inspections: #2,639
of 100,495 penalized employers

Northern State Prison in Newark, NJ has been the subject of 14 OSHA workplace inspections and 32 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $77,000. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Northern State Prison 14 times over 13 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 32 violations, averaging 2.3 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 5% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 12 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (4.5x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, City of Santa Rosa/Water & Wastewater Department in Santa Rosa, NM is another public administration employer with 4 OSHA inspections on record and $75,879 in current penalties.

2.3
violations per inspection: 37.5%
of violations were serious: 97%
of penalized employers rank lower

Northern State Prison

$77,000
Public Administration avg

$2,581

What this shows Northern State Prison runs far above peers (29.8x 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

$77,000 Bottom 3% least affordable more affordable than 3% of 100,495 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

What the Data Says About Northern State Prison

The federal enforcement record for Northern State Prison in Newark, NJ includes 14 OSHA inspections and 32 violations, translating to 2.29 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 12 (37.5%) 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 $77,000 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $77,000 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $5,500. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs far above peers (29.8x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2010-12-16 to 2023-11-02, a window of roughly 13 years.

Total Inspections

First Inspection

2010-12-16

Last Inspection

2023-11-02

Inspection Span

13 yrs

Violations / Inspection

2.3

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$5,500

Industry Avg / Inspection

$826

What this shows 14 inspections over 13 years, averaging 2.3 violations per visit. That's $5,500 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.

Serious

37.5% of total

Willful

0.0% of total

Repeat

0.0% of total

Other-Than-Serious

62.5% 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

$77,000

Current Penalty Amount

$77,000

Penalty Reduction

None

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

Industry Safety Context: Public Administration

How Northern State Prison compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric	Northern State Prison	Industry Avg
Inspections	14	3.1
Violations	32	6.4
Total Penalty	$77,000	$2,581
Avg Penalty per Inspection	$5,500	$826

View all 9,788 employers in Public Administration →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration

Palominas Fire District

Hereford, AZ

2 inspections $0

Orange Fire Department - Station #2

Orange, NJ

2 inspections $76,300

City of Santa Rosa/Water & Wastewater Department

Santa Rosa, NM

4 inspections $75,879

Compare Northern State Prison vs Palominas Fire District side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Northern State Prison safe to work at? ▼

Based on OSHA records, Northern State Prison's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 32 violations across 14 inspections, including 12 serious violations. Compared to Public Administration industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.

How many OSHA violations does Northern State Prison have? ▼

Northern State Prison has 32 OSHA violations on record, including 12 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $77,000.

How many OSHA inspections has Northern State Prison had? ▼

Northern State Prison has had 14 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-12-16 and the most recent on 2023-11-02. This averages 2.3 violations per inspection.

What is the total penalty amount for Northern State Prison? ▼

Northern State Prison has been assessed $77,000 in current OSHA penalties.

Does Northern State Prison have any serious or willful violations? ▼

Yes. Northern State Prison has 12 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 Northern State Prison operate in? ▼

Northern State Prison operates in the Public Administration sector (NAICS code 922140). This industry has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 30,564 total OSHA inspections and $25.26M in cumulative penalties.

How does Northern State Prison's safety record compare to industry average? ▼

Northern State Prison's total OSHA penalty of $77,000 is above the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer (29.8x the average). The employer has 14 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.1 per employer. For a direct comparison, City of Santa Rosa/Water & Wastewater Department in Santa Rosa, NM is a similar public administration employer with $75,879 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Northern State Prison's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

See how Northern State Prison compares to the 9,788 other employers in Public Administration. Public Administration 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 NJ. NJ 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.