Manufacturing · Smithfield, VA
Smithfield Foods North
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Smithfield Foods North has a concerning safety record: 30 violations across 6 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $662,275
- OSHA penalties
- 30
- Violations cited
- 6
- OSHA inspections
- #51
- of 100,495 penalized employers
Smithfield Foods North in Smithfield, VA has been the subject of 6 OSHA workplace inspections and 30 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $662,275. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.
The record in one line
OSHA has inspected Smithfield Foods North 6 times over 2 years - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 30 violations, averaging 5.0 per inspection - a notably high rate. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 1% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 15 were classified as serious and 14 as willful - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (2.4x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Republic Steel in Massillon, OH is another manufacturing employer with 8 OSHA inspections on record and $662,032 in current penalties.
- 5.0
- violations per inspection
- 50.0%
- of violations were serious
- 100%
- of penalized employers rank lower
How Smithfield Foods North compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average
- Smithfield Foods North
Smithfield Foods North
$662,275 in penalties
- Manufacturing avg $15,410
Manufacturing industry average (per employer)
$15,410 in penalties
What this shows Smithfield Foods North runs far above peers (43.0x 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
$662,275 Bottom 1% least affordable more affordable than 0% 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 Smithfield Foods North
The federal enforcement record for Smithfield Foods North in Smithfield, VA includes 6 OSHA inspections and 30 violations, translating to 5.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 15 (50.0%) were classified as serious, 14 (46.7%) 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 $1.08M in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $662,275 - a 38.7% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $110,379. Against the Manufacturing industry average of $15,410 per employer, this record runs far above peers (43.0x the sector average).
Inspection activity spans from 2012-05-31 to 2014-05-30, a window of roughly 2 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
6
First Inspection
2012-05-31
Last Inspection
2014-05-30
Inspection Span
2 yrs
Violations / Inspection
5.0
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$110,379
Industry Avg / Inspection
$6,092
What this shows 6 inspections over 2 years, averaging 5.0 violations per visit. That's $110,379 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,092.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
15
Serious
50.0% of total
14
Willful
46.7% of total
0
Repeat
0.0% of total
1
Other-Than-Serious
3.3% 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
$1.08M
Current Penalty Amount
$662,275
Penalty Reduction
38.7%
What this shows Penalties were reduced by $417,675 from the initial assessment of $1.08M. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.
Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing
How Smithfield Foods North compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 45,665 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | Smithfield Foods North | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 6 | 2.5 |
| Violations | 30 | 7.8 |
| Total Penalty | $662,275 | $15,410 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $110,379 | $6,092 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing
Compare Smithfield Foods North vs Republic Steel side-by-side →
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What to check next
Smithfield Foods North's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.
- See how Smithfield Foods North compares to the 45,665 other employers in Manufacturing. Manufacturing 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 VA. VA 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.