Most Dangerous Industries in America
25 industries ranked by violation rate across 14,664 companies and 55,035 OSHA inspections.
| # | Industry | Companies | Violations | Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Transportation and Warehousing | 346 | 3,421 | 1.04 | |
| 02 | Retail Trade | 277 | 1,837 | 1.01 | |
| 03 | Manufacturing | 1,862 | 6,314 | 1.01 | |
| 04 | Manufacturing | 1,174 | 5,169 | 1.01 | |
| 05 | Retail Trade | 573 | 3,307 | 1.01 | |
| 06 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 161 | 602 | 1.01 | |
| 07 | Manufacturing | 2,691 | 8,841 | 1.01 | |
| 08 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 242 | 822 | 1.00 | |
| 09 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 259 | 827 | 1.00 | |
| 10 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management | 757 | 2,751 | 1.00 | |
| 11 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 428 | 1,469 | 1.00 | |
| 12 | Transportation and Warehousing | 614 | 2,955 | 1.00 | |
| 13 | Other Services | 226 | 718 | 1.00 | |
| 14 | Wholesale Trade | 852 | 3,014 | 1.00 | |
| 15 | Public Administration | 191 | 764 | 1.00 | |
| 16 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 715 | 2,160 | 1.00 | |
| 17 | Accommodation and Food Services | 269 | 1,002 | 1.00 | |
| 18 | Information | 115 | 567 | 1.00 | |
| 19 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 146 | 601 | 1.00 | |
| 20 | Construction | 2,412 | 6,960 | 1.00 | |
| 21 | Utilities | 233 | 839 | 1.00 | |
| 22 | Educational Services | 67 | 269 | 1.00 | |
| 23 | Finance and Insurance | 43 | 149 | 1.00 | |
| 24 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 7 | 14 | 1.00 | |
| 25 | Other | 4 | 8 | 1.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Violations per inspection is the average number of citations issued each time OSHA inspects a workplace in that industry. A rate above 1.0 means most inspections find at least one violation. Higher rates indicate systemic safety issues.
By OSHA violation rate, industries like construction, manufacturing, and agriculture consistently rank highest. Construction leads in total violations, while agriculture has the highest fatality rate per 100,000 workers.
Industries with inherently hazardous operations — heavy machinery, fall hazards, chemical exposure, confined spaces — naturally have more serious violations because the potential for death or serious injury is higher.