Transportation & Warehousing · Los Angeles, CA

Southwest Airlines

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Southwest Airlines ranks #85,087 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a relatively clean safety record: 1 violations across 2 inspections.

Lower half by penalty0% serious
$1,125
OSHA penalties
1
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#85,087
of 99,447 penalized employers

Southwest Airlines in Los Angeles, CA has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 1 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $1,125. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Southwest Airlines 2 times over 1 year - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 1 violation, averaging 0.5 per inspection, on the lighter side. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #85,087 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the lower half of penalized employers nationally). Against the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.1x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, National Railroad Passenger Corporation in Oakland, CA is another transportation & warehousing employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $1,125 in current penalties.

0.5
violations per inspection
0.0%
of violations were serious
#85,087
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

B 83/100
  • B OSHA safety compliance: 1 violation across 2 OSHA inspections (0.5 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 Southwest Airlines compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Transportation & Warehousing per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Southwest Airlines runs well below peers (0.18x 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

$1,125 Top 14% most affordable more affordable than 86% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). This entry sits in this band. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Above this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $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 Transportation & Warehousing employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Southwest Airlines.

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both1.92.022.02.00.33.97.511.114.7OSHA inspectionsViolations citedDRIVERGENT TRANSPORT…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6SOUTH JERSEY COLD ST…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 14MONTICELLO INTERNATI…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 12U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 7WEST PLAINS LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 12TRUE VALUE COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3DOMINION TERMINAL AS…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5A. DUIE PYLE INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 9JC PENNEY LOGISTICS …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2BECHEL BROTHERS INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1HOME DEPOT U.S.A., I…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2CARLILE TRANSPORTATI…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3YRC INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1LINEAR LOGISTICS, LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2NEW AGE LOGISTICS, LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1U.S. POSTAL SERVICE …, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1FEDEX FREIGHT, INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 2SUMMIT PETROLEUM COR…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 11MIDWEST REFRIGERATED…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1Southwest Airlines, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1
Southwest Airlines has 2 OSHA inspections on record and 1 violation cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Transportation & Warehousing peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Southwest Airlines in the Transportation & Warehousing enforcement ledger

Transportation & Warehousing sector: Southwest Airlines is the #3,548 heaviest OSHA penalty carrier of 4,071 employers with nonzero fines ($1,125).

How Southwest Airlines Compares

Southwest Airlines's 0.50 violations per inspection compares to the Transportation & Warehousing sector average of 3.2 violations per employer.

Against the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of $6,129 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well below peers (0.18x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2021-09-01

Last Inspection

2022-08-01

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

0.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$563

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,295

What this shows 2 inspections over 1 year, averaging 0.5 violations per visit. That's $563 per inspection vs. the Transportation & Warehousing average of $3,295.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

0

Serious

0.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

Other-Than-Serious

100.0% 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

$1,125

Current Penalty Amount

$1,125

Penalty Reduction

None

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

Industry Safety Context: Transportation & Warehousing

How Southwest Airlines compares to the Transportation & Warehousing sector, which has 9,914 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Southwest Airlines Industry Avg
Inspections 2 1.9
Violations 1 3.2
Total Penalty $1,125 $6,129
Avg Penalty per Inspection $563 $3,295

Nationwide Transportation & Warehousing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Southwest Airlines, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Nearby & Similar Employers in Transportation & Warehousing

Showing 5 of 9913 other employers tracked in this sector.

Compare Southwest Airlines vs FetchMe Delivery side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Southwest Airlines's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Southwest Airlines against FetchMe Delivery, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Southwest Airlines's inspection and penalty record is typical for Transportation & Warehousing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Transportation & Warehousing 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 Southwest Airlines safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Southwest Airlines's workplace safety record is relatively clean, with fewer violations than typical. The employer has 1 violations across 2 inspections. Compared to Transportation & Warehousing industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Southwest Airlines have?
Southwest Airlines has 1 OSHA violations on record, including 0 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $1,125.
How many OSHA inspections has Southwest Airlines had?
Southwest Airlines has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2021-09-01 and the most recent on 2022-08-01. This averages 0.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Southwest Airlines?
Southwest Airlines has been assessed $1,125 in current OSHA penalties.
What industry does Southwest Airlines operate in?
Southwest Airlines operates in the Transportation & Warehousing sector (NAICS code 481111). This industry has 9,914 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 18,441 total OSHA inspections and $60.77M in cumulative penalties.
Where does Southwest Airlines rank nationally on OSHA penalties?
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Southwest Airlines ranks #85,087 (the lower half 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 Southwest Airlines's safety record compare to industry average?
Southwest Airlines's total OSHA penalty of $1,125 is below the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of $6,129 per employer. The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.9 per employer. For a direct comparison, National Railroad Passenger Corporation in Oakland, CA is a similar transportation & warehousing employer with $1,125 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 2 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.