Public Administration · Seattle, WA
City of Seattle
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), City of Seattle has a concerning safety record: 10 violations across 22 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $17,100
- OSHA penalties
- 10
- Violations cited
- 22
- OSHA inspections
- $0
- Back wages owed
City of Seattle in Seattle, WA has been the subject of 22 OSHA workplace inspections and 10 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $17,100. Federal wage-and-hour enforcement records also show 2 WHD violations against this employer under the Fair Labor Standards Act. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.
The record in one line
OSHA has kept close, sustained watch on City of Seattle: 22 inspections in 5 years, several times a year. These inspections resulted in 10 violations, averaging 0.5 per inspection, on the lighter side. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the top quarter of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 3 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs far above peers (7.0x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers. For comparison, Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Dept in Lake Worth, FL is another public administration employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.
- 0.5
- violations per inspection
- 30.0%
- of violations were serious
- 79%
- of penalized employers rank lower
- $0
- in back wages recovered
How City of Seattle compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Public Administration per-employer average
- City of Seattle
City of Seattle
$17,100 in penalties
- Public Administration avg $2,581
Public Administration industry average (per employer)
$2,581 in penalties
What this shows City of Seattle runs far above peers (6.6x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.
Where this penalty ranks nationally
Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty
$17,100 Bottom 21% least affordable more affordable than 21% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty
Each bar is a $5K-wide band; taller bars hold more U.S. employers with a penalty. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts · 2026
What the Data Says About City of Seattle
The federal enforcement record for City of Seattle in Seattle, WA includes 22 OSHA inspections and 10 violations, translating to 0.45 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 3 (30.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 2 (20.0%) as repeat. Serious violations denote hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm; willful and repeat categories indicate intentional disregard or recurrence of previously cited hazards.
OSHA assessed $17,100 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $17,100 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $777. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs far above peers (6.6x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $0 in back wages owed to an undisclosed number of workers.
Inspection activity spans from 2010-01-13 to 2014-10-16, a window of roughly 5 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
22
First Inspection
2010-01-13
Last Inspection
2014-10-16
Inspection Span
5 yrs
Violations / Inspection
0.5
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$777
Industry Avg / Inspection
$826
What this shows 22 inspections over 5 years, averaging 0.5 violations per visit. That's $777 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
3
Serious
30.0% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
2
Repeat
20.0% of total
5
Other-Than-Serious
50.0% of total
What this shows Serious violations involve hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate intentional or knowing disregard of the law. Repeat violations are for hazards previously cited within the past 5 years.
Enforcement detail
Penalty Analysis
Initial Penalty Assessed
$17,100
Current Penalty Amount
$17,100
Penalty Reduction
None
Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)
$17,100
What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.
Wage & Hour Findings
Industry Safety Context: Public Administration
How City of Seattle compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | City of Seattle | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 22 | 3.1 |
| Violations | 10 | 6.4 |
| Total Penalty | $17,100 | $2,581 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $777 | $826 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What to check next
City of Seattle's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.
- See how City of Seattle compares to the 9,788 other employers in Public Administration. Public Administration record
- Put this employer head-to-head with another on inspections, penalties, and back wages. Compare employers
- Review the full OSHA & wage-enforcement picture for WA. WA state record
These figures are the federal enforcement record on file and reflect past inspections, not a statement about current workplace conditions. See the disclaimer for how to read them.
Data Sources & Methodology ▼
Data as of 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA, WHD).
Source: OSHA Enforcement Data
Inspection and violation records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, covering the period 2010–2026. Includes inspection dates, violation types (serious, willful, repeat, other-than-serious), and penalty amounts. Penalties shown are current assessed amounts and may differ from original citations due to settlement, contest, or reduction.
Source: Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
Compliance actions from the WHD, covering enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), including minimum wage, overtime, and child labor violations. Back wages represent amounts owed to affected employees as determined by WHD investigations.
Employer Matching
Employers are matched across OSHA and WHD datasets by name, state, and city. Employers included in PlainWorker have 2 or more OSHA inspections or $1,000+ in WHD back wages. Data is updated monthly from data.dol.gov.