Retail Trade · Milford, CT

Costco Wholesale Corporation

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Costco Wholesale Corporation has a average safety record: 3 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Upper half by penalty67% serious
$12,000
OSHA penalties
3
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#30,268
of 100,495 penalized employers

Costco Wholesale Corporation in Milford, CT has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 3 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $12,000. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Costco Wholesale Corporation 2 times across a longer 9-year span, an infrequent cadence. These inspections resulted in 3 violations, averaging 1.5 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the upper half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 2 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Retail Trade industry average of 1 inspections per employer, this runs well above peers (2.5x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, LYNN Layton Cadillac-Nissan, INC. in Decatur, AL is another retail trade employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $12,000 in current penalties.

1.5
violations per inspection
66.7%
of violations were serious
70%
of penalized employers rank lower

How Costco Wholesale Corporation compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Retail Trade per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Costco Wholesale Corporation runs well above peers (4.2x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA enforcement extracts As of 2026

Where this penalty ranks nationally

Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty

$12,000 Bottom 30% least affordable more affordable than 30% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). This entry sits in this band. $15,000–$20,000: 6,629 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Above this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,205 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). Above this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,885 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,052 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,483 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,120 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 792 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,101 U.S. employers with a penalty (5%). Above this entry. This employer $0 $55,000 every penalized U.S. employer, bucketed by value

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 Costco Wholesale Corporation

The federal enforcement record for Costco Wholesale Corporation in Milford, CT includes 2 OSHA inspections and 3 violations, translating to 1.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 2 (66.7%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) 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 $21,653 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $12,000 - a 44.6% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $6,000. Against the Retail Trade industry average of $2,879 per employer, this record runs well above peers (4.2x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2012-05-30 to 2021-06-29, a window of roughly 9 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2012-05-30

Last Inspection

2021-06-29

Inspection Span

9 yrs

Violations / Inspection

1.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$6,000

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,566

What this shows 2 inspections over 9 years, averaging 1.5 violations per visit. That's $6,000 per inspection vs. the Retail Trade average of $3,566.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

2

Serious

66.7% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

Other-Than-Serious

33.3% 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

$21,653

Current Penalty Amount

$12,000

Penalty Reduction

44.6%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $9,653 from the initial assessment of $21,653. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Retail Trade

How Costco Wholesale Corporation compares to the Retail Trade sector, which has 12,990 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Costco Wholesale Corporation Industry Avg
Inspections 2 0.8
Violations 3 1.7
Total Penalty $12,000 $2,879
Avg Penalty per Inspection $6,000 $3,566

Nearby & Similar Employers in Retail Trade

Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation vs LYNN Layton Cadillac-Nissan, INC. side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Costco Wholesale Corporation safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Costco Wholesale Corporation's workplace safety record is average, with typical for this industry. The employer has 3 violations across 2 inspections, including 2 serious violations. Compared to Retail Trade industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Costco Wholesale Corporation have?
Costco Wholesale Corporation has 3 OSHA violations on record, including 2 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $12,000.
How many OSHA inspections has Costco Wholesale Corporation had?
Costco Wholesale Corporation has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2012-05-30 and the most recent on 2021-06-29. This averages 1.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Costco Wholesale Corporation?
Costco Wholesale Corporation has been assessed $12,000 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $21,653 (a 44.6% reduction).
Does Costco Wholesale Corporation have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Costco Wholesale Corporation has 2 serious violations. Serious violations involve hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Willful violations indicate the employer intentionally or knowingly disregarded the law.
What industry does Costco Wholesale Corporation operate in?
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates in the Retail Trade sector (NAICS code 452311). This industry has 12,990 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 10,487 total OSHA inspections and $37.39M in cumulative penalties.
How does Costco Wholesale Corporation's safety record compare to industry average?
Costco Wholesale Corporation's total OSHA penalty of $12,000 is above the Retail Trade industry average of $2,879 per employer (4.2x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 0.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, LYNN Layton Cadillac-Nissan, INC. in Decatur, AL is a similar retail trade employer with $12,000 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Costco Wholesale Corporation's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

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.

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Every figure on PlainWorker is rendered directly from official U.S. Department of Labor OSHA and Wage & Hour Division enforcement records, no number is typed in by an editor. This employer's ratios (penalty-per-violation, industry comparisons) are computed live from the 2 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.