Wholesale Trade · SAN DIEGO, CA
COSTCO WHOLESALE
OSHA records show a mixed safety record: 6 violations across 2 inspections — above the Wholesale Trade industry average for penalties.
- 2
- OSHA inspections
- 6
- Violations cited
- $23,785
- OSHA penalties
COSTCO WHOLESALE in SAN DIEGO, CA has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 6 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $23,785. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.
The record in one line
COSTCO WHOLESALE has been inspected 2 times by OSHA over 1 year. These inspections resulted in 6 violations, averaging 3.0 violations per inspection. Of these, 2 were classified as serious — indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Compared to the Wholesale Trade industry average of 2 inspections per employer, COSTCO WHOLESALE has been inspected more frequently.
- 3.0
- violations per inspection
- 33.3%
- of violations were serious
- 2.7×
- Wholesale Trade industry-avg penalty
How COSTCO WHOLESALE compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Wholesale Trade per-employer average
- COSTCO WHOLESALE
COSTCO WHOLESALE
$23,785 in penalties
- Wholesale Trade avg $8,942
Wholesale Trade industry average (per employer)
$8,942 in penalties
What this shows COSTCO WHOLESALE carries 2.7× the penalties of a typical Wholesale Trade employer — a clear outlier in its sector.
What the Data Says About COSTCO WHOLESALE
The federal enforcement record for COSTCO WHOLESALE in SAN DIEGO, CA includes 2 OSHA inspections and 6 violations, translating to 3.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 2 (33.3%) 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 $42,200 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $23,785 — a 43.6% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $11,893. Against the Wholesale Trade industry average of $8,942 per employer, this record runs above peers.
Inspection activity spans from 2016-08-29 to 2018-01-22, a window of roughly 1 year. This record draws directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's public enforcement data at data.dol.gov. Penalty amounts reflect final adjudicated figures after any settlement, informal conference, or formal contest. Workers, journalists, and researchers can use these figures to compare this employer's compliance posture against industry peers and to identify workplaces with elevated safety risks or repeat non-compliance.
OSHA Inspection History
Violation Breakdown
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.
Penalty Analysis
Penalties were reduced by $18,415 from the initial assessment of $42,200. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.
Industry Safety Context: Wholesale Trade
How COSTCO WHOLESALE compares to the Wholesale Trade sector, which has 6,757 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | COSTCO WHOLESALE | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 2 | 1.9 |
| Violations | 6 | 5.4 |
| Total Penalty | $23,785 | $8,942 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $11,893 | $4,730 |
Explore related data
Workplace Safety Guides
What triggers an inspection and what to expect during the process
Decode violation types, penalty amounts, and compliance outcomes
Know your workplace safety rights and how to exercise them
Common forms of wage theft and how to recover unpaid wages
Which industries face the highest rates of violations and penalties
Data-driven breakdown of violation leaders by sector
Nearby & Similar Employers in Wholesale Trade
Compare COSTCO WHOLESALE vs Glory Global Solutions side-by-side →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is COSTCO WHOLESALE safe to work at? ▼
How many OSHA violations does COSTCO WHOLESALE have? ▼
How many OSHA inspections has COSTCO WHOLESALE had? ▼
What is the total penalty amount for COSTCO WHOLESALE? ▼
Does COSTCO WHOLESALE have any serious or willful violations? ▼
What industry does COSTCO WHOLESALE operate in? ▼
What are my rights if I work at COSTCO WHOLESALE? ▼
How do I file an OSHA complaint against COSTCO WHOLESALE? ▼
How does COSTCO WHOLESALE's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Explore PlainWorker
Related Data Sources
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.