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Population Review

Multiple Sources · 55 states

States With Most Workplace Safety Violations

Workplace safety violations reflect how well employers protect workers from hazards. States with the most OSHA violations tend to have large manufacturing, construction, and industrial sectors. Texas, California, and Illinois consistently lead in total violations, partly reflecting large workforces. The most common violations involve fall protection, hazard communication, respiratory protection, and scaffolding. Workplace injuries and fatalities have declined dramatically over 50 years, but thousands of Americans still die on the job each year, with construction, agriculture, and transportation being the most dangerous industries.

Key Findings

  • 1Texas leads with a OSHA violations of 22,198, followed by Florida (16,658) and Pennsylvania (15,089).
  • 2MH ranks last at 4, while Texas leads at 22,198.
  • 3The national median across all states is 4,143 (Arizona at the midpoint).
  • 4The top 10 states are: Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Wisconsin, Missouri, Alabama.

Full Ranking: States With Most Workplace Safety Violations

Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

#StateViolationsInspections
1Wyoming2,1132,014
2Wisconsin9,5079,343
3West Virginia5,3485,204
4Washington3,5353,442
5Virginia4,6274,516
6VI152150
7Vermont1,6951,610
8Utah3,5223,420
9Texas22,19821,988
10Tennessee4,5184,415
11South Dakota2,5832,552
12South Carolina3,9033,804
13Rhode Island2,8412,745
14Puerto Rico719714
15Pennsylvania15,08914,919
16Oregon3,3003,206
17Oklahoma8,4958,339
18Ohio14,63014,452
19North Dakota3,1503,118
20North Carolina5,0724,969
21New York10,26510,105
22New Mexico2,5122,418
23New Jersey8,4578,299
24New Hampshire4,1093,981
25Nevada3,1373,032
26Nebraska6,3356,191
27Montana3,0052,908
28Missouri9,4599,297
29Mississippi7,4067,261
30Minnesota3,9223,828
31Michigan4,2674,159
32MH44
33Massachusetts7,0826,938
34Maryland3,5823,480
35Maine3,3973,280
36Louisiana8,4258,275
37Kentucky3,8173,719
38Kansas7,6347,484
39Iowa3,5953,492
40Indiana4,8584,746
41Illinois13,35213,178
42Idaho2,9512,924
43Hawaii2,3552,256
44GU166163
45Georgia14,07413,889
46Florida16,65816,477
47District of Columbia2,5852,467
48Delaware3,1573,051
49Connecticut4,9024,778
50Colorado9,0418,889
51California6,0165,903
52Arkansas7,9927,842
53Arizona4,1434,037
54Alaska968958
55Alabama9,2749,143

Methodology

Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Texas has the highest OSHA violations at 22,198, according to Census ACS 2023 data. Florida and Pennsylvania round out the top three.

MH has the lowest OSHA violations at 4. VI is second-lowest at 152.

The median across all 55 states is 4,143. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently — the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.

This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.

Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS data (currently 2023 5-Year estimates). The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually, typically in September. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.