KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT

5642 VICTOR ST., BAKERSFIELD, CA 93308 · Public Administration

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 Wage and Hour Division (WHD) compliance actions on record, covering Fair Labor Standards Act enforcement including minimum wage and overtime violations. Industry sector: Public Administration. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

1
OSHA Inspections
2
Violations Cited
$3,750
OSHA Penalties
$27,669
Back Wages Owed

Safety Assessment

KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT has been inspected 1 times by OSHA over 1 year. These inspections resulted in 2 violations, averaging 2.0 violations per inspection. Compared to the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT has been inspected fewer frequently. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $27,669 in back wages owed to 19 workers.

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. 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 $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 $2,355 per employer, this record runs above peers. 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. This record draws directly from the U.S. Department of Labor's public enforcement data at data.dol.gov. Penalty amounts reflect final adjudicated figures after any settlement, informal conference, or formal contest. Workers, journalists, and researchers can use these figures to compare this employer's compliance posture against industry peers and to identify workplaces with elevated safety risks or repeat non-compliance.

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections
1
First Inspection
2017-07-03
Last Inspection
2017-07-03
Inspection Span
1 year
Violations per Inspection
2.0
Avg Penalty per Inspection
$3,750
Industry Avg per Inspection
$757

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

Penalty Analysis

Initial Penalty Assessed
$5,935
Current Penalty Amount
$3,750
Penalty Reduction
36.8%

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.

Combined Financial Impact (OSHA + WHD)
$31,419

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 9,547 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT Industry Avg
Inspections 1 3.1
Violations 2 6.4
Total Penalty $3,750 $2,355
Avg Penalty per Inspection $3,750 $757

Related Data from Other Sources

Workplace Safety Guides

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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 employees. 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 9,547 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 29,708 total OSHA inspections and $22.49M in cumulative penalties.
What are my rights if I work at KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT?
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employees at KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT have the right to a safe workplace, the right to report hazards without retaliation, the right to request an OSHA inspection, and the right to access their own exposure and medical records. Workers can also refuse dangerous work if they believe they face imminent danger and their employer has failed to address the hazard.
How do I file an OSHA complaint against KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT?
You can file a complaint with OSHA online at osha.gov/workers/file-complaint, by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or by visiting your local OSHA area office. Complaints can be filed confidentially. OSHA is required to respond to all complaints and will prioritize those alleging imminent danger. You are protected from employer retaliation under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
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 $2,355 per employer (1.6x the average). The employer has 1 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.1 per employer.

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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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