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Arts, Entertainment & Recreation · Brookfield, IL

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo ranks #17,611 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a mixed safety record: 3 violations across 3 inspections.

Top 25% by penalty100% serious
$20,000
OSHA penalties
3
Violations cited
3
OSHA inspections
#17,611
of 99,447 penalized employers

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, IL has been the subject of 3 OSHA workplace inspections and 3 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $20,000. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo 3 times over 4 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 3 violations, averaging 1.0 per inspection. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #17,611 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 3 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this runs moderately above peers (1.7x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Torresen Marine, INC. in Muskegon, MI is another arts, entertainment & recreation employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $19,800 in current penalties.

1.0
violations per inspection
100.0%
of violations were serious
#17,611
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

C 75/100
  • C OSHA safety compliance: 3 violations across 3 OSHA inspections (1.0 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 this employer compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo runs well above peers (4.5x 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

$20,000 Bottom 18% least affordable more affordable than 18% 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 Arts, Entertainment & Recreation employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo.

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both3.03.033.03.003.97.911.815.8OSHA inspectionsViolations citedNEVADA MUSEUM OF ART…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5VAN BUREN TN PARKS &…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 9WALT DISNEY PARKS & …, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 2TRIPLE SPORTS & ENTE…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 0TA OPERATING, LLC, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 4NYSORDA OLYMPIC SPOR…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 9BURKE MT. OPERATING …, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 15MONO WIND CASINO, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 6U.S. DEPT OF INTERIOR, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5AMERICAN SHOOTERS, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 9NATIONAL PARK SERVIC…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 7NYSPR&HP PINE GROVE …, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 0WEST BAY MARINA ASSO…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5U.S. DEPT. OF INTERI…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 11AEG LIVE, LLC, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5CHEROKEE BEAR ZOO, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 9PARKS MANAGEMENT COR…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5SAN JOAQUIN COUNTRY …, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 4LYNBROOK VILL GREIS …, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 5TONAWANDA TN PARKS &…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 8The Chicago Zoologic…, OSHA inspections: 3 · Violations cited: 3
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo has 3 OSHA inspections on record and 3 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Arts, Entertainment & Recreation peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation enforcement ledger

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector: The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo is the #130 heaviest OSHA penalty carrier of 848 employers with nonzero fines ($20,000).

How The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo Compares

The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's 1.00 violations per inspection compares to the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector average of 5.1 violations per employer.

Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,481 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well above peers (4.5x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

3

First Inspection

2018-08-27

Last Inspection

2022-08-26

Inspection Span

4 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$6,667

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,537

What this shows 3 inspections over 4 years, averaging 1.0 violations per visit. That's $6,667 per inspection vs. the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation average of $2,537.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

3

Serious

100.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

0

Other-Than-Serious

0.0% 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

$33,354

Current Penalty Amount

$20,000

Penalty Reduction

40.0%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $13,354 from the initial assessment of $33,354. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

How The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo compares to the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector, which has 2,226 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo Industry Avg
Inspections 3 1.8
Violations 3 5.1
Total Penalty $20,000 $4,481
Avg Penalty per Inspection $6,667 $2,537
View all 2,226 employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation →

Nationwide Arts, Entertainment & Recreation peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo, both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($20,000 here).

Denver Zoological Foundation $20,000 CO Cedar Fair LP $20,000 PA Waldorf=Astoria Management LLC $20,170 CA FTP Golf Management LLC $19,810 CA

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (3 inspections here).

Nevada Museum of Art, INC. 3 insp. Reno, NV Van Buren TN Parks & Rec Dept 3 insp. Baldwinsville, NY Walt Disney Parks & Resorts U.S., INC. 3 insp. Anaheim, CA Triple Sports & Entertainment 3 insp. Pontiac, MI

Nearby & Similar Employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

Showing 5 of 2225 other employers tracked in this sector.

Denver Zoological Foundation
Denver, CO
2 inspections $20,000
Cedar Fair LP
Allentown, PA
2 inspections $20,000
Waldorf=Astoria Management LLC
LA Quinta, CA
2 inspections $20,170
FTP Golf Management LLC
Madera, CA
2 inspections $19,810
Torresen Marine, INC.
Muskegon, MI
3 inspections $19,800

Compare The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo vs Denver Zoological Foundation side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo against Denver Zoological Foundation, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's inspection and penalty record is typical for Arts, Entertainment & Recreation or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 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 The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 3 violations across 3 inspections, including 3 serious violations. Compared to Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo have? ▼
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo has 3 OSHA violations on record, including 3 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $20,000.
How many OSHA inspections has The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo had? ▼
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo has had 3 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2018-08-27 and the most recent on 2022-08-26. This averages 1.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo? ▼
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo has been assessed $20,000 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $33,354 (a 40.0% reduction).
Does The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo has 3 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 The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo operate in? ▼
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo operates in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector (NAICS code 712130). This industry has 2,226 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 3,932 total OSHA inspections and $9.98M in cumulative penalties.
Where does The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo ranks #17,611 (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 The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
The Chicago Zoological Society DBA Brookfield Zoo's total OSHA penalty of $20,000 is above the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,481 per employer (4.5x the average). The employer has 3 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, Torresen Marine, INC. in Muskegon, MI is a similar arts, entertainment & recreation employer with $19,800 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.

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