Workplace Safety Topics
Topic-based entry points into PlainWorker's data — rankings, comparison tools, guides, and deep dives into specific enforcement categories. Each topic links through to the underlying records and analysis.
Most Penalized Employers
Employers with the highest current OSHA penalty totals nationwide.
Repeat & Willful Violators
Employers cited for willful or repeat violations — the most serious OSHA categories.
Most-Inspected Employers
Workplaces with the highest number of OSHA inspections on record.
Wage Theft Leaders
Employers with the largest back-wages recoveries from Wage & Hour Division enforcement.
Most Dangerous Industries
Industries with the highest violation rates and most severe OSHA penalties.
WHD Enforcement by State
State-level rankings of Wage & Hour Division back-wages recoveries.
WHD Enforcement by Industry
Industries with the most wage-theft enforcement activity.
Industry Safety Comparison Tool
Compare OSHA enforcement across any industry side by side.
Employer Safety Lookup Tool
Search any U.S. employer for their OSHA & WHD enforcement record.
How OSHA Inspections Work
What triggers an inspection, the inspection process, and how violations are classified.
Wage Theft Explained
What wage theft is and how the DOL investigates and recovers back wages.
Your Rights Under OSHA
What every worker is entitled to — including the right to anonymous reporting and whistleblower protection.
Methodology
Topic groupings are curated editorial slices across the underlying data — they don't replace direct navigation through states, industries, or employers. Each topic page applies consistent filters (for example, "Repeat Violators" selects only employers with willful_violations + repeat_violations greater than zero) and then ranks or presents the result using a specified metric documented on that topic's own page.
All topic data derives from the same OSHA enforcement and Wage and Hour Division (WHD) datasets published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Where a topic combines metrics (e.g., "total penalties + back wages"), the combination formula is shown on the relevant ranking page. Rankings refresh each time the underlying DOL data refreshes — monthly at minimum.
Source: OSHA Enforcement Data — U.S. Department of Labor
Source: Wage & Hour Division Compliance Actions — U.S. Department of Labor (data.dol.gov)