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State enforcement profile · #1 of 56 by penalties · AT/BELOW-US

California — top-third OSHA penalty rollup

California ranks #1 of 56 by assessed OSHA penalties ($121.6M), with 36,301 inspections on 19,429 tracked employers.

19,429
Employers
36,301
Inspections
$121.6M
OSHA penalties
$285.8M
Back wages

The state in one line

California ranks #1 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 62,917 violations cited across 36,301 inspections and $285.8M in wages recovered for workers.

#1
of 56 states by penalties
1.73
violations per inspection
$6K
avg penalty per employer
7,768
WHD wage-theft cases

This rank counts 30% of the penalty dollars recorded for California: only employers with at least two OSHA inspections or $1,000 or more in Wage & Hour back wages. On every recorded penalty dollar it would rank #1 of 56.

OSHA citation docket

State IMIS book CA · California AT/BELOW-US · MID-PPE

#1/56 · 36,301 insp · $121.6M

  • BOOK 19,429 employers
  • INSP 36,301 inspections
  • RANK #1 of 56
  • PEN $121.6M
  • RATE 1.73 viol/insp
  • VS-US AT/BELOW-US
  • WHD $285.8M
  • PHOTO Texas

Nearest employer-book peer: Texas ($8.9M penalty gap)

California ranks #1 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 62,917 violations cited across 36,301 inspections and $285.8M in wages recovered for workers. OSHA IMIS + DOL WHD citation stamps for this jurisdiction. Read with this state → · Worst-cited employer → · Similar-footprint state → · Compare employers →

California in the OSHA-penalty neighbourhood

Total assessed OSHA penalties among this state and nearest employer-book peers

penalties

What this shows California carries $121.6M in assessed OSHA penalties, ranked #1 of 56 jurisdictions.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where California ranks nationally

Average OSHA penalty per tracked employer, vs all 56 U.S. jurisdictions

$6,256 Top 43% most affordable more affordable than 57% of 56 U.S. jurisdictions

$0–$2,000: 5 U.S. jurisdictions (9%). Below this entry. $2,000–$4,000: 9 U.S. jurisdictions (16%). Below this entry. $4,000–$6,000: 17 U.S. jurisdictions (30%). Below this entry. $6,000–$8,000: 10 U.S. jurisdictions (18%). This entry sits in this band. $8,000–$10,000: 5 U.S. jurisdictions (9%). Above this entry. $10,000–$12,000: 4 U.S. jurisdictions (7%). Above this entry. $12,000–$14,000: 2 U.S. jurisdictions (4%). Above this entry. $14,000–$16,000: 3 U.S. jurisdictions (5%). Above this entry. $16,000–$18,000: 0 U.S. jurisdictions (0%). Above this entry. $18,000–$20,000: 0 U.S. jurisdictions (0%). Above this entry. $20,000–$22,000: 1 U.S. jurisdictions (2%). Above this entry. $22,000–$24,000: 0 U.S. jurisdictions (0%). Above this entry. California $0 $24,000 every U.S. jurisdiction, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $2K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. jurisdictions. 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

Do more violations mean harsher penalties?

Each dot is one of the 56 U.S. jurisdictions with both violation and penalty data, placed by total violations cited and the average current penalty per violation. The highlighted dot is California.

High volume, high penaltyLow volume, high penaltyHigh volume, low penaltyBelow median on both020897.041793.962690.983587.9$26.7$1330.4$2634.1$3937.8$5241.6Total violations citedAverage penalty per violationCalifornia, Total violations cited: 62917 · Average penalty per violation: $1931.91New Jersey, Total violations cited: 51588 · Average penalty per violation: $2257.14Texas, Total violations cited: 37481 · Average penalty per violation: $3006.51Ohio, Total violations cited: 33085 · Average penalty per violation: $3209.32Illinois, Total violations cited: 38576 · Average penalty per violation: $2518.72Pennsylvania, Total violations cited: 34307 · Average penalty per violation: $2124.18New York, Total violations cited: 79647 · Average penalty per violation: $851.4Wisconsin, Total violations cited: 23614 · Average penalty per violation: $2667.32Florida, Total violations cited: 20137 · Average penalty per violation: $2911.21Georgia, Total violations cited: 23607 · Average penalty per violation: $2424.16Virginia, Total violations cited: 29121 · Average penalty per violation: $1651.15Michigan, Total violations cited: 67640 · Average penalty per violation: $671.06Alabama, Total violations cited: 14683 · Average penalty per violation: $2955.54Nevada, Total violations cited: 18844 · Average penalty per violation: $1778.2Missouri, Total violations cited: 12358 · Average penalty per violation: $2481.04Massachusetts, Total violations cited: 12091 · Average penalty per violation: $2401.87Connecticut, Total violations cited: 23647 · Average penalty per violation: $1188.05Kansas, Total violations cited: 9514 · Average penalty per violation: $2852.86Tennessee, Total violations cited: 38865 · Average penalty per violation: $633.23Colorado, Total violations cited: 11833 · Average penalty per violation: $1925.51Iowa, Total violations cited: 10267 · Average penalty per violation: $1892.75Nebraska, Total violations cited: 4514 · Average penalty per violation: $3581.2Oklahoma, Total violations cited: 5020 · Average penalty per violation: $2618.51Maryland, Total violations cited: 24360 · Average penalty per violation: $537.35Hawaii, Total violations cited: 9120 · Average penalty per violation: $1397.7Washington, Total violations cited: 28812 · Average penalty per violation: $424.16Alaska, Total violations cited: 11441 · Average penalty per violation: $1050.89Mississippi, Total violations cited: 4912 · Average penalty per violation: $2280.7North Carolina, Total violations cited: 18017 · Average penalty per violation: $593.13Arkansas, Total violations cited: 3343 · Average penalty per violation: $3153.71Maine, Total violations cited: 8054 · Average penalty per violation: $1235.73Puerto Rico, Total violations cited: 11369 · Average penalty per violation: $851.43Delaware, Total violations cited: 1884 · Average penalty per violation: $5004.52Louisiana, Total violations cited: 3408 · Average penalty per violation: $2525.26North Dakota, Total violations cited: 1761 · Average penalty per violation: $4787.03New Hampshire, Total violations cited: 3281 · Average penalty per violation: $2336.7Idaho, Total violations cited: 3829 · Average penalty per violation: $1867.02West Virginia, Total violations cited: 3289 · Average penalty per violation: $2142.24Utah, Total violations cited: 6414 · Average penalty per violation: $1044.66Rhode Island, Total violations cited: 3528 · Average penalty per violation: $1806.54Indiana, Total violations cited: 4225 · Average penalty per violation: $1430.22South Dakota, Total violations cited: 1901 · Average penalty per violation: $3123.16Oregon, Total violations cited: 21930 · Average penalty per violation: $263.72Kentucky, Total violations cited: 3171 · Average penalty per violation: $1801.2Montana, Total violations cited: 2718 · Average penalty per violation: $2076Minnesota, Total violations cited: 9173 · Average penalty per violation: $604.31New Mexico, Total violations cited: 2690 · Average penalty per violation: $1987.11Wyoming, Total violations cited: 2936 · Average penalty per violation: $1582.38Guam, Total violations cited: 3356 · Average penalty per violation: $1368.12Vermont, Total violations cited: 3044 · Average penalty per violation: $1498.54Arizona, Total violations cited: 8689 · Average penalty per violation: $523.14District of Columbia, Total violations cited: 2002 · Average penalty per violation: $1600.22South Carolina, Total violations cited: 5382 · Average penalty per violation: $551.38American Samoa, Total violations cited: 829 · Average penalty per violation: $3521.93Virgin Islands, Total violations cited: 2592 · Average penalty per violation: $737.45Northern Mariana Islands, Total violations cited: 943 · Average penalty per violation: $1423.52
California cites 62,917 total violations at an average current penalty of $1931.91 per violation. The crosshair marks the median jurisdiction on both axes. Across this dataset, citing more violations is mildly ASSOCIATED WITH A LOWER average penalty per violation, not a higher one -- the opposite of what volume alone might suggest.

Top OSHA & wage enforcement actions in California

Ranked by combined OSHA penalties and DOL Wage & Hour Division back wages. Some employers below have wage-theft cases with zero OSHA safety violations, or vice versa; check the Inspections/Violations columns before drawing safety conclusions.

#EmployerInspectionsViolationsPenalty + wages
1Corrections Corporation of America (CCA)California City00$8.1M
2Hewlett-PackardPalo Alto00$5.2M
3California Cartage CompanyCarson00$3.6M
4ZenefitsSan Francisco00$3.4M
5LinkedInMountain View00$3.3M
6AloricaIrvine00$3.2M
7John Muir HealthWalnut Creek55$2.4M
8Munger Bros.- Empire Ranch (8 Mile Road)Stockton00$2.1M
9First Republic BankSan Francisco00$2.0M
10Price TransferCompton00$2.0M
11Lange Trucking Inc.Pleasanton00$2.0M
12Southwest Fuel Management, Inc.Agoura Hills00$1.9M
13CLP Skill Trade Solution Inc.Van Nuys00$1.8M
14San Mateo County HSA Children & Family Ser.Belmont00$1.8M
15Byton North AmericaSanta Clara00$1.7M
16Hewlett Packard (NASA ACES Contra)/PerspectaPalo Alto00$1.7M
17Chevron U.S.a. INC.Richmond65172$1.5M
18Able Building MaintenanceSan Francisco00$1.5M
19National Consolidated Couriers, IncSan Leandro00$1.4M
20L&Y Food, Lotus Poultry, Moon Poultry, et alEl Monte00$1.3M

All employers in California

EmployerCityInspectionsPenalty
Nordic Industries INCSmartville3$0
United States Border PatrolChula Vista2$0
Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaCoachella2$0
Apm Terminals Pacific LimitedTerminal Island2$0
Eichleay Engineers INC of CaliforniaMountain Pass2$0
A Teichert & Son INC DBA Teichert AggregatesMarysville3$0
UnknownRaisin City2$0
Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines CompanyNapa2$0
North Bay Medical Center Labor & DeliveryFairfield2$0
J S Redpath CorporationDownieville6$0
Flow TransportationHughson2$0
Bell-Carter Foods INC DBA Bell-Carter Packaging MOModesto2$0
Lamp Liter InnVisalia2$0
Elemental Energy INCDesert Center2$0
County of SacramentoSacramento2$0
Ladd and AssociatesBangor3$0
Ccra FDX CORP DBA Fedex ExpressPacheco2$0
City of Clovis Fire DepartmentClovis2$0
U.S. Army Reserve-Amsa-13Vallejo4$0
Swinerton Builders INCSan Diego2$0
Unified Grocers INCStockton2$0
D'arrigo Bros. CO.Soledad2$0
CDCR Chino Institute for MenChino2$0
Golden State Boring and Pipe Jacking INCMecca2$0
Select Specialized Staffing INCSanta Barbara2$0
Herald Fire Protection DistrictHerald2$0
Clark / McCarthy a Joint VentureStockton3$0
Alameda County Medical Center - Highland HospitalOakland3$0
Social Security AdministrationSan Diego2$0
Bae Systems INC.San Diego4$0
Yamato TransportCarson2$0
Tricorp Hearn ConstructionSan Francisco2$0
Pacific Boring INCSan Diego2$0
Golden State Boring and Pipe Jacking INCSun City4$0
RGW Construction, INC.Merced2$0
Correctional Training FacilitySoledad2$0
Javier MercadoStockton3$0
MC Carthy Construction INC.San Diego2$0
Morley Construction CO.San Diego7$0
Sutter General HospitalSacramento4$0
West Coast Boring INCMontclair3$0
Yerba Buena Engineering and Construction, INC.San Francisco2$0
Webcor ConcreteSan Francisco2$0
Transit Air Cargo INCSanta Ana2$0
Pacific Boring INCPittsburg6$0
Priority Business ServicesOntario2$0
Frank C. Alegre Trucking, INCTurlock2$0
Madrigal Vineyard ManagementCalistoga3$0
Navy Exchange - Liberty StationSan Diego2$0
Hall ManagementHuron2$0
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Industries in California

Enforcement and wage-compliance data broken out by industry sector within California.

Accommodation & Food ServicesAdministrative & Waste ServicesAgriculture, Forestry, Fishing & HuntingArts, Entertainment & RecreationConstructionEducational ServicesFinance & InsuranceHealthcare & Social AssistanceInformationManagement of CompaniesManufacturingMining, Quarrying, Oil & GasOtherOther ServicesProfessional & Technical ServicesPublic AdministrationReal Estate & RentalRetail TradeTransportation & WarehousingUtilitiesWholesale Trade

Top Cities in California

The 20 cities with the most employers in the federal enforcement record within California (of 513 total).

Los Angeles (1,466)San Diego (582)Sacramento (544)San Francisco (537)Fresno (465)Redding (326)San Jose (302)Stockton (302)Bakersfield (296)Oakland (290)Chico (227)Modesto (212)Ontario (187)Anaheim (182)Riverside (166)Santa Ana (156)Irvine (147)Long Beach (140)Madera (134)Tracy (121)

View all 513 cities in California →

Nationwide states with similar OSHA penalties or violation rates

Two enforcement-record peer sets for California: nearest jurisdictions by total assessed OSHA penalties and by violations per inspection. These are cross-state neighborhoods, not the employer-book peers above.

Similar total OSHA penalties

Other top-third penalty states outside California's employer-book footprint — matched by total assessed OSHA penalties ($121.6M here).

New Jersey $116.4M Texas $112.7M Ohio $106.2M Illinois $97.2M

Similar violations per inspection

States with lower inspection-weighted violation rates near California's 1.73 per inspection.

Kansas 1.77/insp Oklahoma 1.78/insp Kentucky 1.69/insp Utah 1.67/insp

Source: OSHA Enforcement Data, U.S. Department of Labor · Verify with OSHA establishment search →
Source: Wage & Hour Division Compliance Actions, U.S. Department of Labor · DOL WHD data →