Retail Trade · Overland Park, KS
Costco Wholesale
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Costco Wholesale has a relatively clean safety record: 1 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $9,403
- OSHA penalties
- 1
- Violations cited
- 2
- OSHA inspections
- #37,140
- of 100,495 penalized employers
Costco Wholesale in Overland Park, KS has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 1 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $9,403. 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 2 times over 2 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 1 violation, averaging 0.5 per inspection, on the lighter side. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the upper half of penalized employers nationally. 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, Sage Sustainable Electronics in Columbus, OH is another retail trade employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $9,401 in current penalties.
- 0.5
- violations per inspection
- 0.0%
- of violations were serious
- 63%
- of penalized employers rank lower
How Costco Wholesale compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Retail Trade per-employer average
- Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale
$9,403 in penalties
- Retail Trade avg $2,879
Retail Trade industry average (per employer)
$2,879 in penalties
What this shows Costco Wholesale runs well above peers (3.3x 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
$9,403 Bottom 37% least affordable more affordable than 37% 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 Costco Wholesale
The federal enforcement record for Costco Wholesale in Overland Park, KS includes 2 OSHA inspections and 1 violation, translating to 0.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 0 (0.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat.
OSHA assessed $11,754 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $9,403 - a 20.0% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $4,702. Against the Retail Trade industry average of $2,879 per employer, this record runs well above peers (3.3x the sector average).
Inspection activity spans from 2024-07-22 to 2026-03-12, a window of roughly 2 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
2
First Inspection
2024-07-22
Last Inspection
2026-03-12
Inspection Span
2 yrs
Violations / Inspection
0.5
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$4,702
Industry Avg / Inspection
$3,566
What this shows 2 inspections over 2 years, averaging 0.5 violations per visit. That's $4,702 per inspection vs. the Retail Trade average of $3,566.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
0
Serious
0.0% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
0
Repeat
0.0% of total
1
Other-Than-Serious
100.0% 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
$11,754
Current Penalty Amount
$9,403
Penalty Reduction
20.0%
What this shows Penalties were reduced by $2,351 from the initial assessment of $11,754. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.
Industry Safety Context: Retail Trade
How Costco Wholesale compares to the Retail Trade sector, which has 12,990 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | Costco Wholesale | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 2 | 0.8 |
| Violations | 1 | 1.7 |
| Total Penalty | $9,403 | $2,879 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $4,702 | $3,566 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Retail Trade
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to check next
Costco Wholesale's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.
- See how Costco Wholesale compares to the 12,990 other employers in Retail Trade. Retail Trade 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 KS. KS 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.