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Employers › CA

Wholesale Trade · San Diego, CA

Costco Wholesale

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Costco Wholesale ranks #14,319 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a mixed safety record: 6 violations across 2 inspections.

Top 25% by penalty33% serious
$23,785
OSHA penalties
6
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#14,319
of 99,447 penalized employers

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

OSHA has inspected Costco Wholesale 2 times over 1 year - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 6 violations, averaging 3.0 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #14,319 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 2 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Wholesale Trade industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.0x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation in Kent, OH is another wholesale trade employer with 2 OSHA inspections on record and $23,765 in current penalties.

3.0
violations per inspection
33.3%
of violations were serious
#14,319
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

F 46/100
  • F OSHA safety compliance: 6 violations across 2 OSHA inspections (3.0 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.

Channels are separate federal datasets: a dimension marked not applicable simply has no record in that dataset for this employer, not a good or bad score.

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How Costco Wholesale compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Wholesale Trade per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Costco Wholesale runs well above peers (2.6x 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

$23,785 Bottom 14% least affordable more affordable than 14% of 99,447 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 43,959 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). Below this entry. $5,000–$10,000: 20,304 U.S. employers with a penalty (20%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,027 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Below this entry. $15,000–$20,000: 6,546 U.S. employers with a penalty (7%). Below this entry. $20,000–$25,000: 4,175 U.S. employers with a penalty (4%). This entry sits in this band. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Above this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Above this entry. $40,000–$45,000: 1,095 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $45,000–$50,000: 785 U.S. employers with a penalty (1%). Above this entry. $50,000–$55,000: 5,150 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

Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?

Each dot is one of 21 Wholesale Trade employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Costco Wholesale.

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both1.92.022.02.003.77.311.014.7OSHA inspectionsViolations citedUNITED FISHING AGENC…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 0Q.T. RENTS, L.L.C., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 9BANGO REFINING NV. LLC, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3HI-PLAINS COOP, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 9PACIFIC PACKAGING PR…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6MANHEIM SAN ANTONIO, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1J.T. EATON & CO., INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 14GENERAL PARTS DISTRI…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 8TEDDER BROTHERS, INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6TARC INDUSTRIES/EMPL…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1KELLER GRAIN & FEED,…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 7PORT CITY INDUSTRIAL…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3SOUTH DAKOTA WHEAT G…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4CJ POLY, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4NOVAK ENTERPRISES INC., OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3PIEDMONT CHEERWINE B…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 11BROADVIEW TECHNOLOGI…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 3INLAND MEATS OF SPOK…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 5ROCK RIVER LUMBER AN…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 1COUNTRY COACH CORPOR…, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 4Costco Wholesale, OSHA inspections: 2 · Violations cited: 6
Costco Wholesale has 2 OSHA inspections on record and 6 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Wholesale Trade peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Costco Wholesale in the Wholesale Trade enforcement ledger

In Wholesale Trade, Costco Wholesale sits at penalty rank #639 of 4,429 penalized establishments ($23,785 assessed).

How Costco Wholesale Compares

Costco Wholesale's 3.00 violations per inspection compares to the Wholesale Trade sector average of 5.5 violations per employer.

Against the Wholesale Trade industry average of $9,112 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well above peers (2.6x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2016-08-29

Last Inspection

2018-01-22

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

3.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$11,893

Industry Avg / Inspection

$4,665

What this shows 2 inspections over 1 year, averaging 3.0 violations per visit. That's $11,893 per inspection vs. the Wholesale Trade average of $4,665.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

2

Serious

33.3% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

4

Other-Than-Serious

66.7% 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

$42,200

Current Penalty Amount

$23,785

Penalty Reduction

43.6%

What this shows 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 6,881 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Costco Wholesale Industry Avg
Inspections 2 2.0
Violations 6 5.5
Total Penalty $23,785 $9,112
Avg Penalty per Inspection $11,893 $4,665
View all 6,881 employers in Wholesale Trade →

Nationwide Wholesale Trade peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Costco Wholesale, both outside CA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($23,785 here).

Fullerton Farmers Elevator $23,792 ND Vendors Exchange International, INC. $23,777 OH Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation $23,765 OH Murphy Road Recycling, LLC $23,820 CT

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (2 inspections here).

United Fishing Agency LTD 2 insp. Honolulu, HI Q.T. Rents, L.L.C. 2 insp. Rockdale, IL Bango Refining NV. LLC 2 insp. Fallon, NV HI-Plains Coop 2 insp. Selden, KS

Nearby & Similar Employers in Wholesale Trade

Showing 5 of 6880 other employers tracked in this sector.

Fullerton Farmers Elevator
Fullerton, ND
5 inspections $23,792
Vendors Exchange International, INC.
Cleveland, OH
4 inspections $23,777
Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation
Kent, OH
2 inspections $23,765
Murphy Road Recycling, LLC
Hartford, CT
3 inspections $23,820
CNC Mechanical Inc.
Raleigh, NC
0 inspections $0

Compare Costco Wholesale vs Fullerton Farmers Elevator side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Costco Wholesale's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Costco Wholesale against Fullerton Farmers Elevator, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Costco Wholesale's inspection and penalty record is typical for Wholesale Trade or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Wholesale Trade sector
  • Before you accept a job or raise a safety concern, search any employer for its own OSHA inspection history the same way you found this one. Search employers

Figures reflect closed OSHA and WHD federal enforcement actions on record (2010–2026); not every workplace issue results in an inspection or investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Costco Wholesale safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Costco Wholesale's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 6 violations across 2 inspections, including 2 serious violations. Compared to Wholesale Trade industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Costco Wholesale have? ▼
Costco Wholesale has 6 OSHA violations on record, including 2 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $23,785.
How many OSHA inspections has Costco Wholesale had? ▼
Costco Wholesale has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2016-08-29 and the most recent on 2018-01-22. This averages 3.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Costco Wholesale? ▼
Costco Wholesale has been assessed $23,785 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $42,200 (a 43.6% reduction).
Does Costco Wholesale have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Costco Wholesale 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 operate in? ▼
Costco Wholesale operates in the Wholesale Trade sector (NAICS code 424450). This industry has 6,881 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 13,442 total OSHA inspections and $62.70M in cumulative penalties.
Where does Costco Wholesale rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Costco Wholesale ranks #14,319 (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). The ordinal is a live COUNT of employers with a lower total_current_penalty; see the methodology page for the exact derivation.
How does Costco Wholesale's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Costco Wholesale's total OSHA penalty of $23,785 is above the Wholesale Trade industry average of $9,112 per employer (2.6x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.0 per employer. For a direct comparison, Industrial Tube & Steel Corporation in Kent, OH is a similar wholesale trade employer with $23,765 in current penalties.
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.