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Employers › CA

Public Administration · Bakersfield, CA

Kern County Fire Department

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Kern County Fire Department has a mixed safety record: 2 violations across 1 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Lower half by penalty0% serious
$3,750
OSHA penalties
2
Violations cited
1
OSHA inspections
$27,669
Back wages owed

Kern County Fire Department in Bakersfield, CA has been the subject of 1 OSHA workplace inspections and 2 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $3,750. The employer also has 1 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) case on record, covering Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Kern County Fire Department once. These inspections resulted in 2 violations, averaging 2.0 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Against the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs moderately below peers (0.3x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $27,669 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers. For comparison, AMS Utiliserv in Monroe, LA is another public administration employer with 0 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.

2.0
violations per inspection
0.0%
of violations were serious
36%
of penalized employers rank lower
$27,669
in back wages recovered

How Kern County Fire Department compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Public Administration per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Kern County Fire Department runs moderately above peers (1.5x 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

$3,750 Top 36% most affordable more affordable than 64% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty

$0–$5,000: 44,435 U.S. employers with a penalty (44%). This entry sits in this band. $5,000–$10,000: 20,628 U.S. employers with a penalty (21%). Above this entry. $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 Kern County Fire Department

The federal enforcement record for Kern County Fire Department in Bakersfield, CA includes 1 OSHA inspection and 2 violations, translating to 2.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 0 (0.0%) were classified as serious, 0 (0.0%) as willful, and 0 (0.0%) as repeat.

OSHA assessed $5,935 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $3,750 - a 36.8% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $3,750. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs moderately above peers (1.5x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $27,669 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers.

Inspection activity spans from 2017-07-03 to 2017-07-03, a window of roughly 1 year.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

1

First Inspection

2017-07-03

Last Inspection

2017-07-03

Inspection Span

1 yr

Violations / Inspection

2.0

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$3,750

Industry Avg / Inspection

$826

What this shows 1 inspection over 1 year, averaging 2.0 violations per visit. That's $3,750 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

0

Serious

0.0% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

2

Other-Than-Serious

100.0% 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

$5,935

Current Penalty Amount

$3,750

Penalty Reduction

36.8%

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$31,419

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $2,185 from the initial assessment of $5,935. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases
1
Back Wages Owed
$27,669
Employees Affected
19
WHD Violations
19
Avg Back Wages per Employee
$1,456
Avg Back Wages per Case
$27,669

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Kern County Fire Department owed $27,669 in back wages to 19 employees across 1 case and 19 violations. WHD enforces federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), covering minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards.

Industry Safety Context: Public Administration

How Kern County Fire Department compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Kern County Fire Department Industry Avg
Inspections 1 3.1
Violations 2 6.4
Total Penalty $3,750 $2,581
Avg Penalty per Inspection $3,750 $826
View all 9,788 employers in Public Administration →

Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration

AMS Utiliserv
Monroe, LA
0 inspections $0
Plainfield Fire Department-Headquarters
Plainfield, NJ
3 inspections $31,500
Oakland Fire Department
Oakland, NJ
3 inspections $31,500
Raritan Fire Department
Raritan, NJ
3 inspections $31,500
Southern Nevada Health District
Las Vegas, NV
5 inspections $4,500

Compare Kern County Fire Department vs AMS Utiliserv side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kern County Fire Department safe to work at? ▼
Based on OSHA records, Kern County Fire Department's workplace safety record is mixed, with some compliance concerns. The employer has 2 violations across 1 inspections. Compared to Public Administration industry peers, this is above average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Kern County Fire Department have? ▼
Kern County Fire Department has 2 OSHA violations on record, including 0 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $3,750.
How many OSHA inspections has Kern County Fire Department had? ▼
Kern County Fire Department has had 1 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2017-07-03 and the most recent on 2017-07-03. This averages 2.0 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Kern County Fire Department? ▼
Kern County Fire Department has been assessed $3,750 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $5,935 (a 36.8% reduction). Additionally, $27,669 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.
Has Kern County Fire Department been cited for wage theft? ▼
Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Kern County Fire Department, resulting in $27,669 in back wages owed to 19 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.
What industry does Kern County Fire Department operate in? ▼
Kern County Fire Department operates in the Public Administration sector (NAICS code 922160). This industry has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 30,564 total OSHA inspections and $25.26M in cumulative penalties.
What should I do if Kern County Fire Department owes me wages? ▼
If you believe Kern County Fire Department owes you wages, you can file a complaint with the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints or by calling 1-866-487-9243. WHD investigates violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act including unpaid minimum wage, overtime, and unauthorized deductions. The DOL has previously found $27,669 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.
How does Kern County Fire Department's safety record compare to industry average? ▼
Kern County Fire Department's total OSHA penalty of $3,750 is above the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer (1.5x the average). The employer has 1 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.1 per employer. For a direct comparison, AMS Utiliserv in Monroe, LA is a similar public administration employer with $0 in current penalties.

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What to check next

Kern County Fire Department'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.

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