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Employers › IL

Manufacturing · Chicago, IL

Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. ranks #14,921 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 29 violations across 4 inspections.

Top 25% by penalty79% serious
$22,997
OSHA penalties
29
Violations cited
4
OSHA inspections
#14,921
of 99,447 penalized employers

Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. in Chicago, IL has been the subject of 4 OSHA workplace inspections and 29 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $22,997. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. 4 times over 8 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 29 violations, averaging 7.3 per inspection - a notably high rate. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #14,921 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 23 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. For comparison, Woodline Works Corporation in New Brunswick, NJ is another manufacturing employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $23,000 in current penalties.

7.3
violations per inspection
79.3%
of violations were serious
#14,921
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

F 0/100
  • F OSHA safety compliance: 29 violations across 4 OSHA inspections (7.3 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.

Channels are separate federal datasets: a dimension marked not applicable simply has no record in that dataset for this employer, not a good or bad score.

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How Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. runs moderately above peers (1.5x 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

$22,997 Bottom 15% least affordable more affordable than 15% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). This entry sits in this band. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,095 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 785 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,150 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

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 Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC..

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both4.04.044.04.01.620.138.556.975.3OSHA inspectionsViolations citedHANOVER FOODS CORPOR…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 72STARKIST SAMOA CO., OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 8DYNA-MIX, INC., OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 9SENECA FOODS CORPORA…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 19INTERNATIONAL PAPER …, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 9ALLCOAT TECHNOLOGY, …, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 21NARDONE BROTHERS BAK…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 18THE BROASTER COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 20RAINBOW INC, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 40PERSTORP POLYOLS, INC., OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 7M&M METALS, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 11A & L METAL PROCESSING, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 22GREAT LAKES CHEESE O…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 7W W WOOD, INC., OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 5AMERICAN TOOL COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 17BUCKEYE BODY AND EQU…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 13SIGMA TUBE COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 7HIGH LINER FOODS USA…, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 11RADICI PLASTICS USA …, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 8UNIPARTS OLSEN INC., OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 20Polar Hardware MFG. …, OSHA inspections: 4 · Violations cited: 29
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. has 4 OSHA inspections on record and 29 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.

Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. in the Manufacturing enforcement ledger

Among 35,243 Manufacturing employers with OSHA penalties on file, Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. ranks #7,281 at $22,997 current penalty.

How Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. Compares

Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s 7.25 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 moderately above peers (1.5x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

4

First Inspection

2011-03-30

Last Inspection

2018-10-04

Inspection Span

8 yrs

Violations / Inspection

7.3

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$5,749

Industry Avg / Inspection

$6,093

What this shows 4 inspections over 8 years, averaging 7.3 violations per visit. That's $5,749 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,093.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

23

Serious

79.3% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

6

Other-Than-Serious

20.7% 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

$63,725

Current Penalty Amount

$22,997

Penalty Reduction

63.9%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $40,728 from the initial assessment of $63,725. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. Industry Avg
Inspections 4 2.6
Violations 29 8.0
Total Penalty $22,997 $15,763
Avg Penalty per Inspection $5,749 $6,093
View all 44,645 employers in Manufacturing →

Nationwide Manufacturing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC., both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($22,997 here).

Feldmeier/Alabama Equipment, INC. $22,997 AL Proserv Crane Group $22,995 TX Regency Plastics Ubly, INC. $23,000 TX Woodline Works Corporation $23,000 NJ

Similar OSHA inspection count

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

Hanover Foods Corporation 4 insp. Centre Hall, PA Starkist Samoa CO. 4 insp. Pago Pago, AS Dyna-Mix, INC. 4 insp. Tyler, TX Seneca Foods Corporation 4 insp. Gillett, WI

Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing

Showing 5 of 44644 other employers tracked in this sector.

Feldmeier/Alabama Equipment, INC.
Montgomery, AL
5 inspections $22,997
Proserv Crane Group
Irving, TX
2 inspections $22,995
Regency Plastics Ubly, INC.
El Paso, TX
2 inspections $23,000
Woodline Works Corporation
New Brunswick, NJ
3 inspections $23,000
Hornady Manufacturing
Alda, NE
2 inspections $23,000

Compare Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. vs Feldmeier/Alabama Equipment, INC. side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. against Feldmeier/Alabama Equipment, INC., a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s inspection and penalty record is typical for Manufacturing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Manufacturing sector
  • Before you accept a job or raise a safety concern, search any employer for its own OSHA inspection history the same way you found this one. Search employers

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 Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 29 violations across 4 inspections, including 23 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 Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. have? ▼
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. has 29 OSHA violations on record, including 23 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $22,997.
How many OSHA inspections has Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. had? ▼
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. has had 4 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-03-30 and the most recent on 2018-10-04. This averages 7.3 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.? ▼
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. has been assessed $22,997 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $63,725 (a 63.9% reduction).
Does Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. has 23 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 Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. operate in? ▼
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 332510). This industry has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 115,492 total OSHA inspections and $703.72M in cumulative penalties.
Where does Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC. ranks #14,921 (the top quarter 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 Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Polar Hardware MFG. CO. INC.'s total OSHA penalty of $22,997 is above the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer (1.5x the average). The employer has 4 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Woodline Works Corporation in New Brunswick, NJ is a similar manufacturing employer with $23,000 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.

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