State enforcement profile · #16 of 56 by penalties
Workplace enforcement in Massachusetts
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Massachusetts has 4,133 employers in the federal enforcement record, with 5,934 OSHA inspections and $29.0M in penalties assessed. The state's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $60.3M in back wages across 1,825 enforcement cases.
- 4,133
- Employers
- 5,934
- Inspections
- $29.0M
- OSHA penalties
- $60.3M
- Back wages
The state in one line
Massachusetts ranks #16 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 12,091 violations cited across 5,934 inspections and $60.3M in wages recovered for workers.
- #16
- of 56 states by penalties
- 2.04
- violations per inspection
- $7K
- avg penalty per employer
- 1,825
- WHD wage-theft cases
What to check next
Massachusetts's enforcement record is one jurisdiction in a national pattern. Treat it as a benchmark to drill down from, not a verdict on the state overall.
- Massachusetts averages 2.04 violations per inspection, at or below the 2.21 national average across 56 states.
- See Massachusetts's single worst-cited employer in full detail. Hampden County Sheriff's Department record
- Compare Massachusetts against a similarly-sized state by employer count. Wisconsin record
- Put two employers head-to-head on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
What the data says about Massachusetts
Federal workplace enforcement in Massachusetts covers 4,133 employers with 5,934 total OSHA inspections on record. Inspectors documented 12,091 violations statewide, yielding 2.04 violations per inspection on average. OSHA has assessed $29.0M in penalties against employers in the state, averaging $7K per tracked employer.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) adds a separate enforcement layer, recovering $60.3M in back wages across 1,825 cases - an average of $33K per case. Combined OSHA and WHD enforcement activity gives workers, journalists, and researchers a verifiable record of which employers have been cited and which workplaces regulators have prioritized.
The employers listed on this page represent workplaces with at least two OSHA inspections or $1,000 or more in WHD back wages owed. Data is sourced directly from data.dol.gov. Penalty figures are current assessed amounts, reflecting any settlements, informal conference reductions, or formal contest outcomes. Click any employer below to view their full inspection history, violation breakdown by severity, and wage-compliance record.
Where Massachusetts ranks nationally
Average OSHA penalty per tracked employer, vs all 56 U.S. jurisdictions
$7,027 Top 37% most affordable more affordable than 63% of 56 U.S. jurisdictions
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
Top OSHA & wage enforcement actions in Massachusetts
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.
| # | Employer | Inspections | Violations | Penalty + wages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hampden County Sheriff's Department Ludlow | 3 | 3 | $2.1M |
| 2 | Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc. Norwell | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 3 | Atlantic Drain Service Company, INC. Boston | 3 | 39 | $1.5M |
| 4 | Atlantic Coast Utilities, LLC, Advanced Utilities, Incorporated Boston | 2 | 32 | $1.4M |
| 5 | Force Corporation Lunenburg | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 6 | Triad Associates Haverhill | 0 | 0 | $771K |
| 7 | CPAC Contracting Services Dorchester Center | 0 | 0 | $759K |
| 8 | Tesco, Inc. Woburn | 0 | 0 | $657K |
| 9 | CDM Smith Boston | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 10 | Bostik, INC. Middleton | 4 | 56 | $615K |
| 11 | Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Incorporated Taunton | 2 | 18 | $540K |
| 12 | Alternative Transportation Systems, LLC Arlington | 0 | 0 | $516K |
| 13 | Middlesex Auto Cleaning Stoneham | 0 | 0 | $503K |
| 14 | RELCO 2Y06 Atlantic City NJ ANGB South Easton | 0 | 0 | $477K |
| 15 | Unwrapped Lowell | 0 | 0 | $445K |
| 16 | Ramirez Drywall Inc. New Bedford | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 17 | Westwood Cartage, Inc. Needham Heights | 0 | 0 | $401K |
| 18 | R&F Transportation Taunton | 0 | 0 | $350K |
| 19 | Greenscape Inc. East Taunton | 0 | 0 | $346K |
| 20 | Unified Cleaning Solutions Avon | 0 | 0 | $338K |
All employers in Massachusetts
Nearby states by enforcement footprint
Industries in Massachusetts
Enforcement and wage-compliance data broken out by industry sector within Massachusetts.
Top Cities in Massachusetts
The 20 cities with the most employers in the federal enforcement record within Massachusetts (of 204 total).
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 →
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. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.