State enforcement profile · #42 of 56 by penalties
Workplace enforcement in South Dakota
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), South Dakota has 675 employers in the federal enforcement record, with 901 OSHA inspections and $5.9M in penalties assessed. The state's Wage and Hour Division has recovered $4.8M in back wages across 363 enforcement cases.
- 675
- Employers
- 901
- Inspections
- $5.9M
- OSHA penalties
- $4.8M
- Back wages
The state in one line
South Dakota ranks #42 of 56 U.S. jurisdictions by total OSHA penalties, with 1,901 violations cited across 901 inspections and $4.8M in wages recovered for workers.
- #42
- of 56 states by penalties
- 2.11
- violations per inspection
- $9K
- avg penalty per employer
- 363
- WHD wage-theft cases
What to check next
South Dakota'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.
- South Dakota averages 2.11 violations per inspection, at or below the 2.21 national average across 56 states.
- See South Dakota's single worst-cited employer in full detail. Adams Thermal Systems, INC. record
- Compare South Dakota against a similarly-sized state by employer count. District of Columbia record
- Put two employers head-to-head on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
What the data says about South Dakota
Federal workplace enforcement in South Dakota covers 675 employers with 901 total OSHA inspections on record. Inspectors documented 1,901 violations statewide, yielding 2.11 violations per inspection on average. OSHA has assessed $5.9M in penalties against employers in the state, averaging $9K per tracked employer.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) adds a separate enforcement layer, recovering $4.8M in back wages across 363 cases - an average of $13K 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 South Dakota ranks nationally
Average OSHA penalty per tracked employer, vs all 56 U.S. jurisdictions
$8,796 Top 23% most affordable more affordable than 77% 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 South Dakota
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 | Adams Thermal Systems, INC. Canton | 7 | 72 | $450K |
| 2 | Good Samaritan Society Sioux Falls | 0 | 0 | $412K |
| 3 | Strehlow Bees, Inc Kadoka | 0 | 0 | $405K |
| 4 | Brink Constructors Rapid City | 0 | 0 | $318K |
| 5 | Amtec Corporation Clear Lake | 6 | 28 | $246K |
| 6 | Hultgren Construction, LLC Sioux Falls | 2 | 29 | $201K |
| 7 | Dakota Bodies, LLC Watertown | 3 | 30 | $175K |
| 8 | Global Employment Agency, Inc Sturgis | 0 | 0 | $154K |
| 9 | Genuine Builders, Inc. Arlington | 0 | 0 | $147K |
| 10 | Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet Sioux Falls | 0 | 0 | $140K |
| 11 | Timberline Construction, Inc Rapid City | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 12 | Wheeler Tank Manufacturing, INC. Sioux Falls | 3 | 50 | $104K |
| 13 | The Lodge at Deadwood Deadwood | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 14 | Winter Contracting, LLC Dell Rapids | 2 | 4 | $100K |
| 15 | North Central Farmers Elevator Warner | 2 | 9 | $100K |
| 16 | Vision Quest Solutions Hot Springs | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 17 | Custer State Park Resort Custer | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 18 | Henry Carlson Construction LLC Sioux Falls | 2 | 20 | $92K |
| 19 | Dakota Beverage Company, Inc. Sioux Falls | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 20 | Custom Genetic Solutions, LLC Mitchell | 2 | 13 | $88K |
All employers in South Dakota
Nearby states by enforcement footprint
Industries in South Dakota
Enforcement and wage-compliance data broken out by industry sector within South Dakota.
Top Cities in South Dakota
The 17 cities with the most employers in the federal enforcement record within South Dakota.
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.