Public Administration · Seattle, WA
King County Metro Transit
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), King County Metro Transit has a relatively clean safety record: 2 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $3,500
- OSHA penalties
- 2
- Violations cited
- 2
- OSHA inspections
- $3.27M
- Back wages owed
King County Metro Transit in Seattle, WA has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 2 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $3,500. Separately, the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found $3.27M in back wages owed to 2,461 affected workers. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.
The record in one line
OSHA has inspected King County Metro Transit 2 times over 4 years, roughly once every couple of years. These inspections resulted in 2 violations, averaging 1.0 per inspection. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 1 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Public Administration industry average of 3 inspections per employer, this runs moderately below peers (0.6x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $3.27M in back wages owed to 2,461 affected workers. For comparison, Hampden County Sheriff's Department in Ludlow, MA is another public administration employer with 3 OSHA inspections on record and $0 in current penalties.
- 1.0
- violations per inspection
- 50.0%
- of violations were serious
- 35%
- of penalized employers rank lower
- $3.27M
- in back wages recovered
How King County Metro Transit compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Public Administration per-employer average
- King County Metro Tran…
King County Metro Transit
$3,500 in penalties
- Public Administration avg
Public Administration industry average (per employer)
$2,581 in penalties
What this shows King County Metro Transit runs moderately above peers (1.4x the sector average) in total OSHA penalties.
Where this penalty ranks nationally
Total current OSHA penalty vs every U.S. employer with a nonzero penalty
$3,500 Top 35% most affordable more affordable than 65% of 100,495 U.S. employers with a penalty
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 King County Metro Transit
The federal enforcement record for King County Metro Transit in Seattle, WA includes 2 OSHA inspections and 2 violations, translating to 1.00 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 1 (50.0%) 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 $3,500 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $3,500 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $1,750. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs moderately above peers (1.4x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 2 cases producing $3.27M in back wages owed to 2,461 affected workers.
Inspection activity spans from 2010-03-09 to 2014-05-30, a window of roughly 4 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
2
First Inspection
2010-03-09
Last Inspection
2014-05-30
Inspection Span
4 yrs
Violations / Inspection
1.0
Avg Penalty / Inspection
$1,750
Industry Avg / Inspection
$826
What this shows 2 inspections over 4 years, averaging 1.0 violations per visit. That's $1,750 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $826.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
1
Serious
50.0% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
0
Repeat
0.0% of total
1
Other-Than-Serious
50.0% 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
$3,500
Current Penalty Amount
$3,500
Penalty Reduction
None
Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)
$3.27M
What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.
Wage & Hour Findings
The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that King County Metro Transit owed $3.27M in back wages to 2,461 employees across 2 cases and 2,463 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 King County Metro Transit compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | King County Metro Transit | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 2 | 3.1 |
| Violations | 2 | 6.4 |
| Total Penalty | $3,500 | $2,581 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $1,750 | $826 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration
Compare King County Metro Transit vs PR Police side-by-side →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to check next
King County Metro Transit's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.
- See how King County Metro Transit compares to the 9,788 other employers in Public Administration. Public Administration 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 WA. WA 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.