Retail Trade · Ellicott City, MD

Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw has a concerning safety record: 17 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Lower half by penalty71% serious
$6,000
OSHA penalties
17
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#50,795
of 100,495 penalized employers

Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw in Ellicott City, MD has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 17 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $6,000. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw 2 times over 1 year - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 17 violations, averaging 8.5 per inspection - a notably high rate. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 12 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, A Star Liquor Beer & Wine in Vernon, TX is another retail trade employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

8.5
violations per inspection
70.6%
of violations were serious
49%
of penalized employers rank lower

How this employer compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Retail Trade per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw runs well above peers (2.1x 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

$6,000 Top 49% most affordable more affordable than 51% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). Above this entry. $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 Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw

The federal enforcement record for Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw in Ellicott City, MD includes 2 OSHA inspections and 17 violations, translating to 8.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 12 (70.6%) 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 $10,750 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $6,000 - a 44.2% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $3,000. Against the Retail Trade industry average of $2,879 per employer, this record runs well above peers (2.1x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2011-09-20 to 2011-11-03, a window of roughly 1 year.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2011-09-20

Last Inspection

2011-11-03

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

8.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$3,000

Industry Avg / Inspection

$3,566

What this shows 2 inspections over 1 year, averaging 8.5 violations per visit. That's $3,000 per inspection vs. the Retail Trade average of $3,566.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

12

Serious

70.6% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

5

Other-Than-Serious

29.4% 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

$10,750

Current Penalty Amount

$6,000

Penalty Reduction

44.2%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $4,750 from the initial assessment of $10,750. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Retail Trade

How Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw compares to the Retail Trade sector, which has 12,990 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw Industry Avg
Inspections 2 0.8
Violations 17 1.7
Total Penalty $6,000 $2,879
Avg Penalty per Inspection $3,000 $3,566

Nearby & Similar Employers in Retail Trade

Compare Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw vs Albertsons LLC side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 17 violations across 2 inspections, including 12 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 Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw have?
Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw has 17 OSHA violations on record, including 12 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $6,000.
How many OSHA inspections has Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw had?
Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-09-20 and the most recent on 2011-11-03. This averages 8.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw?
Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw has been assessed $6,000 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $10,750 (a 44.2% reduction).
Does Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw has 12 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 Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw operate in?
Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw operates in the Retail Trade sector (NAICS code 444130). This industry has 12,990 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 10,487 total OSHA inspections and $37.39M in cumulative penalties.
How does Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw's safety record compare to industry average?
Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw's total OSHA penalty of $6,000 is above the Retail Trade industry average of $2,879 per employer (2.1x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 0.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, A Star Liquor Beer & Wine in Vernon, TX is a similar retail trade employer with $0 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

What to check next

Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

  • See how Edward T Clark & Sons INC DBA Clark's Ace Hardw 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 MD. MD 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.

Verify with OSHA establishment search →

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.