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Employers › WI

Manufacturing · Columbus, WI

Gardner Equipment Company, INC.

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Gardner Equipment Company, INC. ranks #8,263 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 45 violations across 5 inspections.

Top 10% by penalty89% serious
$35,715
OSHA penalties
45
Violations cited
5
OSHA inspections
#8,263
of 99,447 penalized employers

Gardner Equipment Company, INC. in Columbus, WI has been the subject of 5 OSHA workplace inspections and 45 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $35,715. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Gardner Equipment Company, INC. 5 times over 3 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 45 violations, averaging 9.0 per inspection - a notably high rate. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #8,263 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top 10% of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 40 were classified as serious and 4 as willful - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Manufacturing industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs moderately above peers (1.9x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Jones Stone & Marble, INC. in Greensburg, PA is another manufacturing employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $35,707 in current penalties.

9.0
violations per inspection
88.9%
of violations were serious
#8,263
of 99,447 penalized employers

Compliance score

F 0/100
  • F OSHA safety compliance: 45 violations across 5 OSHA inspections (9.0 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 this employer compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Manufacturing per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Gardner Equipment Company, INC. runs well above peers (2.3x 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

$35,715 Bottom 8% least affordable more affordable than 8% 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%). Below this entry. $25,000–$30,000: 2,877 U.S. employers with a penalty (3%). Below this entry. $30,000–$35,000: 2,036 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). Below this entry. $35,000–$40,000: 1,493 U.S. employers with a penalty (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Manufacturing employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Gardner Equipment Company, INC..

Frequently inspected, many findingsRarely inspected, many findingsFrequently inspected, clean recordBelow median on both5.05.055.05.0018.436.855.173.5OSHA inspectionsViolations citedGENERAL ALUMINUM MFG…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 16PRIEFERT MFG. CO., I…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 19CRESPAC, INC., OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 33ATRIUM WINDOWS AND D…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 14SGL CARBON, LLC - SA…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 20AMERICAN ALUMINUM EX…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 15LASSITER LUMBER, LLC., OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 17CASTONE CORPORATION, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 27J.R. SHORT MILLING C…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 5FORGE DIE AND TOOL C…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 70MSC WALBRIDGE COATIN…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 16SWIFT BEEF COMPANY, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 5WARNOCK FOOD PRODUCT…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 6CREATIVE PACKAGING, …, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 15B.C. STONE, INC., OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 12SOUNDPROOF WINDOWS, …, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 13CELLTRON INC., OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 1CHECON CORPORATION, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 0UNIVERSAL CONCRETE P…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 68ASSOCIATED SPRING - …, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 49Gardner Equipment Co…, OSHA inspections: 5 · Violations cited: 45
Gardner Equipment Company, INC. has 5 OSHA inspections on record and 45 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Manufacturing peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Gardner Equipment Company, INC. in the Manufacturing enforcement ledger

Manufacturing sector: Gardner Equipment Company, INC. is the #4,145 heaviest OSHA penalty carrier of 35,243 employers with nonzero fines ($35,715).

How Gardner Equipment Company, INC. Compares

Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s 9.00 violations per inspection compares to the Manufacturing sector average of 8.0 violations per employer.

Against the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs well above peers (2.3x the sector average).

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

5

First Inspection

2011-05-09

Last Inspection

2013-12-10

Inspection Span

3 yrs

Violations / Inspection

9.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$7,143

Industry Avg / Inspection

$6,093

What this shows 5 inspections over 3 years, averaging 9.0 violations per visit. That's $7,143 per inspection vs. the Manufacturing average of $6,093.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

40

Serious

88.9% of total

4

Willful

8.9% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

1

Other-Than-Serious

2.2% 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

$93,230

Current Penalty Amount

$35,715

Penalty Reduction

61.7%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $57,515 from the initial assessment of $93,230. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Manufacturing

How Gardner Equipment Company, INC. compares to the Manufacturing sector, which has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Gardner Equipment Company, INC. Industry Avg
Inspections 5 2.6
Violations 45 8.0
Total Penalty $35,715 $15,763
Avg Penalty per Inspection $7,143 $6,093
View all 44,645 employers in Manufacturing →

Nationwide Manufacturing peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Gardner Equipment Company, INC., both outside WI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($35,715 here).

Western Industries, INC. Plastic Products Group $35,709 KS Jones Stone & Marble, INC. $35,707 PA SST Conveyor Components INC. $35,703 OH Akron Special Machinery, INC. $35,700 OH

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (5 inspections here).

General Aluminum MFG Company 5 insp. Conneaut, OH Priefert MFG. CO., INC. 5 insp. Mount Pleasant, TX Crespac, INC. 5 insp. Tucker, GA Atrium Windows and Doors 5 insp. Dallas, TX

Nearby & Similar Employers in Manufacturing

Showing 5 of 44644 other employers tracked in this sector.

Western Industries, INC. Plastic Products Group
Winfield, KS
5 inspections $35,709
Jones Stone & Marble, INC.
Greensburg, PA
3 inspections $35,707
SST Conveyor Components INC.
Loveland, OH
4 inspections $35,703
Granite Connection
Albuquerque, NM
1 inspections $0
Akron Special Machinery, INC.
Akron, OH
2 inspections $35,700

Compare Gardner Equipment Company, INC. vs Western Industries, INC. Plastic Products Group side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

  • A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Gardner Equipment Company, INC. against Western Industries, INC. Plastic Products Group, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
  • See whether Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s inspection and penalty record is typical for Manufacturing or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Manufacturing 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 Gardner Equipment Company, INC. safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 45 violations across 5 inspections, including 40 serious violations. Compared to Manufacturing industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Gardner Equipment Company, INC. have? ▼
Gardner Equipment Company, INC. has 45 OSHA violations on record, including 40 serious, 4 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $35,715.
How many OSHA inspections has Gardner Equipment Company, INC. had? ▼
Gardner Equipment Company, INC. has had 5 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-05-09 and the most recent on 2013-12-10. This averages 9.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Gardner Equipment Company, INC.? ▼
Gardner Equipment Company, INC. has been assessed $35,715 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $93,230 (a 61.7% reduction).
Does Gardner Equipment Company, INC. have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. Gardner Equipment Company, INC. has 40 serious violations, 4 willful 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 Gardner Equipment Company, INC. operate in? ▼
Gardner Equipment Company, INC. operates in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS code 332999). This industry has 44,645 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 115,492 total OSHA inspections and $703.72M in cumulative penalties.
Where does Gardner Equipment Company, INC. rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼
Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Gardner Equipment Company, INC. ranks #8,263 (the top 10% 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 Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Gardner Equipment Company, INC.'s total OSHA penalty of $35,715 is above the Manufacturing industry average of $15,763 per employer (2.3x the average). The employer has 5 inspections compared to the industry average of 2.6 per employer. For a direct comparison, Jones Stone & Marble, INC. in Greensburg, PA is a similar manufacturing employer with $35,707 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.

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 5 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.