Each day, a majority of Americans go to work. To put food on the table. To put a roof over their head. To provide a better life for their loved ones. Despite the requirements outlined in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, too many workers still don't have a safe workplace. There were 5,283 fatal work injuries among U.S. workers in 2023, or a worker death every 99 minutes.
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) calls out some of these unsafe working conditions in their annual compliation of the most dangerous employers, the Dirty Dozen.
The organization solicits input from its national network of COSH groups, frontline workers, union organizers, health and safety experts, advocates and academic allies. National COSH then culls the nominations to 12 based on severity and frequency of harm to workers, repeat violations of safety laws and ongoing organizing efforts, among other factors.
“No one should die for a paycheck,” said Jessica E. Martinez, MPH, Executive Director of National COSH in a statement. “The employers on our Dirty Dozen list are putting profit ahead of people—endangering workers with unsafe conditions, stolen wages, retaliation and abuse. These workers are not disposable. They are rising up, organizing and demanding the dignity and safety every human being deserves."
EHS Today presents National COSH's most dangerous companies of 2025 (in alphabetical order), along with their explanation for inclusion, with the caveat that the organization has a pro-union bias. However, it's worth remembering that unions were a driving force behind much of the labor reform and improved U.S. working conditions during the 20th century.
There are some well-known companies on this year's list, including some repeat offenders. There are some regional chains and mom-and-pop shops on the list, too. It's a reminder that unsafe working conditions can occur in any industry, geographic region or company size—and that there is still much work to be done to ensure that all workers go home in the same, or better, condition than they arrived.
National COSH's full report can be found at https://nationalcosh.org/dd25.
Read more:
How National COSH Picks the Dirty Dozen: 'We Listen to Workers'
