About OSHA & This Site
What is OSHA?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Labor. Created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA's mission is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
OSHA covers most private-sector employers and their workers in all 50 states. Certain states operate their own OSHA-approved State Plans.
Types of OSHA Inspections
- Programmed (P): Planned inspections based on injury/illness data, national emphasis programs, or local priorities.
- Unprogrammed (U): Triggered by employee complaints, referrals, or imminent danger situations.
- Follow-up (F): Verify that violations cited in a prior inspection have been corrected.
- Referral (R): Based on information from other government agencies, media, or other sources.
Violation Types Explained
A willful violation is one where the employer knew that a hazardous condition existed, knew that the condition violated an OSHA standard or the General Duty Clause, and made no reasonable effort to eliminate it. Maximum penalty: $156,259 per violation.
A serious violation exists when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. Maximum penalty: $15,625 per violation.
A repeat violation occurs when an employer has been cited for the same or substantially similar violation within the previous three years. Maximum penalty: $156,259 per violation.
A violation where the most serious injury or illness that could result would not normally cause death or serious physical harm, but has a direct relationship to job safety and health. Maximum penalty: $15,625 per violation.
About This Site
OSHALookup.com provides public access to OSHA enforcement data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Our data is sourced from the DOL's publicly available enforcement records database and updated periodically.
Important limitations:
- Inspection counts reflect the number of OSHA inspections, not necessarily relative safety performance
- Large companies with many facilities will naturally have more inspections
- This data does not represent a complete safety rating or certification
- Always verify current information directly with OSHA.gov
For official OSHA information, visit OSHA.gov.