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Employers › MI

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation · Grand Rapids, MI

John Ball Zoo

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), John Ball Zoo has a concerning safety record: 15 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Upper half by penalty87% serious
$11,850
OSHA penalties
15
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#30,558
of 100,495 penalized employers

John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, MI has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 15 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $11,850. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected John Ball Zoo 2 times over 1 year - more than twice a year on average. These inspections resulted in 15 violations, averaging 7.5 per inspection - a notably high rate. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the upper half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 13 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.1x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Pci Gaming Authority, INC. in Gardnerville, NV is another arts, entertainment & recreation employer with 5 OSHA inspections on record and $11,934 in current penalties.

7.5
violations per inspection
86.7%
of violations were serious
70%
of penalized employers rank lower

How John Ball Zoo compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows John Ball Zoo runs well above peers (2.7x 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

$11,850 Bottom 30% least affordable more affordable than 30% 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%). Below this entry. $10,000–$15,000: 11,165 U.S. employers with a penalty (11%). This entry sits in this band. $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 John Ball Zoo

The federal enforcement record for John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, MI includes 2 OSHA inspections and 15 violations, translating to 7.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 13 (86.7%) 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 $23,700 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $11,850 - a 50.0% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $5,925. Against the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,456 per employer, this record runs well above peers (2.7x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2023-06-14 to 2023-08-28, a window of roughly 1 year.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2023-06-14

Last Inspection

2023-08-28

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

7.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$5,925

Industry Avg / Inspection

$2,543

What this shows 2 inspections over 1 year, averaging 7.5 violations per visit. That's $5,925 per inspection vs. the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation average of $2,543.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

13

Serious

86.7% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

2

Other-Than-Serious

13.3% 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

$23,700

Current Penalty Amount

$11,850

Penalty Reduction

50.0%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $11,850 from the initial assessment of $23,700. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

How John Ball Zoo compares to the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector, which has 2,241 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric John Ball Zoo Industry Avg
Inspections 2 1.8
Violations 15 5.0
Total Penalty $11,850 $4,456
Avg Penalty per Inspection $5,925 $2,543
View all 2,241 employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Arts, Entertainment & Recreation

Kansas Entertainment LLC
Kansas City, KS
3 inspections $11,855
Greenbrier Sporting Club
White Sulphur Springs, WV
0 inspections $0
7 Cedars Casino
Sequim, WA
2 inspections $11,914
Seaview Harbor Marina
Longport, NJ
0 inspections $0
Pci Gaming Authority, INC.
Gardnerville, NV
5 inspections $11,934

Compare John Ball Zoo vs Kansas Entertainment LLC side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is John Ball Zoo safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, John Ball Zoo's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 15 violations across 2 inspections, including 13 serious violations. Compared to Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does John Ball Zoo have? ▼
John Ball Zoo has 15 OSHA violations on record, including 13 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $11,850.
How many OSHA inspections has John Ball Zoo had? ▼
John Ball Zoo has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2023-06-14 and the most recent on 2023-08-28. This averages 7.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for John Ball Zoo? ▼
John Ball Zoo has been assessed $11,850 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $23,700 (a 50.0% reduction).
Does John Ball Zoo have any serious or willful violations? ▼
Yes. John Ball Zoo has 13 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 John Ball Zoo operate in? ▼
John Ball Zoo operates in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sector (NAICS code 712130). This industry has 2,241 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 3,927 total OSHA inspections and $9.99M in cumulative penalties.
How does John Ball Zoo's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
John Ball Zoo's total OSHA penalty of $11,850 is above the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry average of $4,456 per employer (2.7x the average). The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.8 per employer. For a direct comparison, Pci Gaming Authority, INC. in Gardnerville, NV is a similar arts, entertainment & recreation employer with $11,934 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

Arts, Entertainment & Recreation Industry

All 2,241 employers in this sector
Employers in MI

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What to check next

John Ball Zoo's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.

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.

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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.