Since we just wrapped 2015, I thought it was a good time to take a peak at the list to grab an annual snapshot.
And, while I know that our OSHA offices in Ohio are active, I did not realize just how active. According to OSHA, the only state with more high-value cases than Ohio last year was California(!). And, when you’re in California’s territory on an employment-law list, you know you’ve done something very wrong. While Illinois had 14 fewer cases than Ohio last year, it nipped Ohio by just under $200,000 for the highest aggregate penalties. California, by the way, was a distant third, trailing Ohio in dollars penalized by more than $1 million. Amazingly, Ohio employers racked up more penalties than the lowest 27 states combined.
Do I believe that Ohio’s employers are less safe than those of any other comparably sized state? Not for a second.
So, what do these stats tell us? They tell us that OSHA’s Ohio-based investigators are a busy group with a heavy hand for issuing penalties. What does this mean for you and your business?
It means that as you set your business resolutions for 2016, getting your workplace-safety house in order should be at or near the top of your to-do list. If you’re curious, here is the complete list, ranked by state in order of total penalties levied.
| State | No. of Violations | Total Penalties |
| IL | 48 | $6,103,200 |
| OH | 62 | $5,926,954 |
| CA | 76 | $4,804,920 |
| TX | 52 | $4,317,069 |
| WI | 21 | $4,090,213 |
| NJ | 50 | $3,248,680 |
| PA | 22 | $3,106,470 |
| NY | 33 | $2,985,210 |
| FL | 36 | $2,560,850 |
| MI | 15 | $2,060,480 |
| GA | 29 | $1,941,190 |
| MO | 16 | $1,739,568 |
| WA | 16 | $1,386,900 |
| MA | 17 | $1,359,080 |
| NE | 4 | $1,314,140 |
| NC | 10 | $1,114,600 |
| CT | 15 | $1,096,272 |
| AL | 15 | $1,047,220 |
| OK | 9 | $892,200 |
| AK | 2 | $601,325 |
| VA | 10 | $568,860 |
| ME | 4 | $508,560 |
| KS | 8 | $490,150 |
| NV | 5 | $489,800 |
| IA | 5 | $449,750 |
| HI | 5 | $443,140 |
| OR | 3 | $413,115 |
| MS | 5 | $375,000 |
| WY | 6 | $362,445 |
| MN | 7 | $357,575 |
| SC | 5 | $355,100 |
| IN | 5 | $339,850 |
| WV | 4 | $322,670 |
| DE | 3 | $266,300 |
| ND | 2 | $244,200 |
| LA | 3 | $239,400 |
| RI | 3 | $233,800 |
| CO | 4 | $207,760 |
| NM | 2 | $193,600 |
| NH | 4 | $189,740 |
| KY | 3 | $144,250 |
| AR | 3 | $141,800 |
| SD | 1 | $47,740 |
| MT | 1 | $47,600 |
| AZ | 0 | $0 |
| ID | 0 | $0 |
| MD | 0 | $0 |
| TN | 0 | $0 |
| UT | 0 | $0 |
| VT | 0 | $0 |
This post originally appeared on Meyers Roman’s Ohio OHSA Law Blog.