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Employers › CA

Transportation & Warehousing · San Francisco, CA

United Airlines

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), United Airlines has a concerning safety record: 23 violations across 26 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Top 5% by penalty13% serious
$55,060
OSHA penalties
23
Violations cited
26
OSHA inspections
$0
Back wages owed

United Airlines in San Francisco, CA has been the subject of 26 OSHA workplace inspections and 23 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $55,060. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected United Airlines 26 times over 15 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 23 violations, averaging 0.9 per inspection, on the lighter side. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top 5% of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 3 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (14.1x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. For comparison, U.S. Postal Service in Duluth, GA is another transportation & warehousing employer with 13 OSHA inspections on record and $55,011 in current penalties.

0.9
violations per inspection
13.0%
of violations were serious
96%
of penalized employers rank lower
$0
in back wages recovered

How United Airlines compares on OSHA penalties

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

in penalties

What this shows United Airlines runs far above peers (9.1x 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

$55,060 Bottom 4% least affordable more affordable than 4% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Below this entry. $50,000+: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). This entry ($55,060) is well above this band, the chart's rightmost open-ended bucket. This employer: $55,060 $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

What the Data Says About United Airlines

The federal enforcement record for United Airlines in San Francisco, CA includes 26 OSHA inspections and 23 violations, translating to 0.88 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 3 (13.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 1 (4.3%) 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 $62,020 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $55,060 - a 11.2% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,118. Against the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of $6,058 per employer, this record runs far above peers (9.1x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 5 cases producing $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2010-08-23 to 2025-12-23, a window of roughly 15 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

26

First Inspection

2010-08-23

Last Inspection

2025-12-23

Inspection Span

15 yrs

Violations / Inspection

0.9

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$2,118

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,294

What this shows 26 inspections over 15 years, averaging 0.9 violations per visit. That's $2,118 per inspection vs. the Transportation & Warehousing average of $3,294.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

3

Serious

13.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

1

Repeat

4.3% of total

19

Other-Than-Serious

82.6% 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

$62,020

Current Penalty Amount

$55,060

Penalty Reduction

11.2%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$55,060

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $6,960 from the initial assessment of $62,020. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
5
Back Wages Owed
$0
Employees Affected
0
WHD Violations
1

Industry Safety Context: Transportation & Warehousing

How United Airlines compares to the Transportation & Warehousing sector, which has 10,024 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric United Airlines Industry Avg
Inspections 26 1.8
Violations 23 3.2
Total Penalty $55,060 $6,058
Avg Penalty per Inspection $2,118 $3,294
View all 10,024 employers in Transportation & Warehousing →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Transportation & Warehousing

U.S. Postal Service
Duluth, GA
13 inspections $55,011
Orefield Cold Storage & Distribution Center, INC.
Orefield, PA
2 inspections $55,000
On Courier 365
San Jose, CA
0 inspections $0
Transamerica Services &Technical Supplies Inc
Steubenville, OH
0 inspections $0
Instant Transportation
Worcester, MA
0 inspections $0

Compare United Airlines vs U.S. Postal Service side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is United Airlines safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, United Airlines's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 23 violations across 26 inspections, including 3 serious violations. Compared to Transportation & Warehousing industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does United Airlines have? ▼
United Airlines has 23 OSHA violations on record, including 3 serious, 0 willful, and 1 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $55,060.
How many OSHA inspections has United Airlines had? ▼
United Airlines has had 26 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-08-23 and the most recent on 2025-12-23. This averages 0.9 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for United Airlines? ▼
United Airlines has been assessed $55,060 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $62,020 (a 11.2% reduction). Additionally, $0 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Does United Airlines have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. United Airlines has 3 serious violations, and 1 repeat violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
Has United Airlines been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 5 enforcement cases against United Airlines, resulting in $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does United Airlines operate in? ▼
United Airlines operates in the Transportation & Warehousing sector (NAICS code 481111). This industry has 10,024 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 18,434 total OSHA inspections and $60.73M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if United Airlines owes me wages? ▼
If you believe United Airlines owes you wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints or by calling 1-866-487-9243. WHD investigates violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act including unpaid minimum wage, overtime, and unauthorized deductions. The DOL has previously found $0 in back wages owed by this employer across 5 cases.
How does United Airlines's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
United Airlines's total OSHA penalty of $55,060 is above the Transportation & Warehousing industry average of $6,058 per employer (9.1x the average). The employer has 26 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, U.S. Postal Service in Duluth, GA is a similar transportation & warehousing employer with $55,011 in current penalties.

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What to check next

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

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.

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