Top OSHA Issued Penalties
September 17, 2008 4:00 pm EDT
These are the top 25 announced OSHA penalties of all time, as provided by the Department of Labor. We also compiled a list of final penalties â i.e. the amount the fine was reduced to after settlement or appeal â based on OSHAâs own database, administrative court documents and press reports. The Department of Labor was unable to confirm settlement figures.
| Company | Case Summary | Date Issued | Initial Penalty | Final Penalty | Percent Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Fifteen killed, 107 injured in Texas plant explosion. | Sept. 21, 2005 | -- | $21,361,5001 | 0% |
 |
Eight killed, more than 100 injured by chemical explosion. | Oct. 31, 1991 | $11,550,0002 | $10,000,000 | 13% |
 |
Thirteen killed, 40 injured by explosion caused by combustible dust. | July 25, 2008 | $8,777,500 | ? | ? |
 |
Construction worker died after falling more than 50 feet through unsecured decking. | Sept. 21, 1995 | $8,260,000 | $1,829,000 | 78% |
 |
Six killed, 11 injured by refinery explosion. | Aug. 29, 1991 | $8,155,0002 | $5,800,000 | 29% |
 |
Worker crushed to death while working on a tire-making machine. | April 18, 1994 | $7,490,000 | $518,0003 | 93% |
 |
After 17 worker deaths in 17 years, OSHA investigated and cited several plants for safety violations. | Nov. 1, 1989 | $7,275,300 | $3,250,0004 | 55% |
 |
Twenty-three killed, 130 injured by explosion and fire. | April 19, 1990 | $6,395,200 | $4,100,000 | 36% |
 |
After an explosion, OSHA cited the company for safety and record-keeping violations. | Sept. 8, 1993 | $6,328,000 | $100,000 | 98% |
| TPM/Macomber et al. | Twenty-eight killed, 16 injured after the L'Ambiance Plaza in Brideport, Conn., collapsed. | Oct. 22, 1987 | $5,114,000 | $430,000 | 92% |
| Arcadian Corp. | Seven injured after a reactor explosion at a fertilizer manufacturing plant. | Jan. 27, 1993 | $5,085,500 | $50,000 | 99% |
| E. Smalis Painting | Employees exposed to lead while working on the Tarentum Bridge in Allegheny County, Pa. | June 3, 1994 | $5,008,500 | $2,282,1675 | 54% |
 |
Eight hundred eighty of the plant's 2,000 employees suffered debilitating ergonomic injuries. | Oct. 28, 1988 | $4,330,000 | $990,000 | 77% |
 |
Employees exposed to asbestos as company also underreported injuries and illnesses. | Nov. 4, 1987 | $4,175,940 | $650,000 | 84% |
 |
Seven workers hospitalized from a chlorine leak. | Sept. 17, 1991 | $3,928,500 | $1,286,233 | 67% |
 |
OSHA cited the company for unsafe and unsanitary working conditions. | July 12, 1996 | $3,565,500 | $1,882,500 | 47% |
| Arco Chemical Co. | Seventeen killed, five injured by a chemical explosion. | Jan. 3, 1991 | -- | $3,481,3001 | 0% |
 |
Employee complaint leads to OSHA citing the company for noise and record-keeping violations. | Dec. 12, 1989 | $3,345,6006 | 1,500,000 | 55% |
| McCrory Stores | Two killed, 28 injured in a mall fire. | Nov. 7, 1991 | $3,188,000 | 500,000 | 84% |
 |
High number of employees suffered ergonomic injuries. | May 11, 1988 | $3,139,9006 | $532,030 | 83% |
 |
Three killed by a chemical explosion. | Nov. 22, 1994 | -- | $3,017,0001 | 0% |
| One killed, 32 injured by an explosion. | Sept. 12, 1991 | $2,817,5006 | $1,496,500 | 47% |
 |
Worker cooked to death inside a giant clothes drier. | Aug. 16, 2007 | $2,782,000 | ? | ? |
 |
Worker's head crushed by machine. | Sept. 26, 1991 | $2,780,000 | $692,000 | 75% |
 |
OSHA cited the company for ergonomic hazards and record-keeping violations. | July 7, 1989 | $2,706,800 | $2,000,0007 | 26% |
|
OSHA cited the company for failing to report more than 1,000 injuries and illnesses over a two-year period. | July 21, 1987 | $2,597,500 | $441,150 | 83% |
Robert Lewis and Krista Kjellman / ProPublica
