Public Administration · Seattle, WA

Seattle Fire Department

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Seattle Fire Department ranks #20,965 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers by total current penalty, with a concerning safety record: 19 violations across 6 inspections.

Top 25% by penalty79% serious

Compiled by Plainworker · September 6, 2026

$17,100
OSHA penalties: 19
Violations cited: 6
OSHA inspections: #20,965
of 99,447 penalized employers

Seattle Fire Department in Seattle, WA has been the subject of 6 OSHA workplace inspections and 19 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $17,100. 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 Seattle Fire Department 6 times over 4 years, roughly annually. These inspections resulted in 19 violations, averaging 3.2 per inspection, above what's typical for a single visit. According to OSHA enforcement records, its total current penalty ranks #20,965 of 99,447 penalized U.S. employers (the top quarter of penalized employers nationally). Of these, 15 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 above peers (1.9x the sector average) on inspection frequency. The Department of Labor also found wage violations, with $55,318 in back wages owed to 15 affected workers. For comparison, City of Newark, Dept. of Engineering in Newark, NJ is another public administration employer with 7 OSHA inspections on record and $73,000 in current penalties.

3.2
violations per inspection: 78.9%
of violations were serious: #20,965
of 99,447 penalized employers: $55,318
in back wages recovered

Compliance score

F 29/100

F OSHA safety compliance: 19 violations across 6 OSHA inspections (3.2 per inspection), vs. national p10 0.0 (best) / p90 5.5 (worst) among 145,626 inspected employers.
F Wage & hour compliance: $55K in back wages owed across 1 WHD case ($55K per case), vs. national p10 $2K (best) / p90 $58K (worst) among 91,622 employers with a WHD case on file.

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Seattle Fire Department

$17,100
Public Administration avg

$2,606

What this shows Seattle Fire Department runs far above peers (6.6x 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

$17,100 Bottom 21% least affordable more affordable than 21% of 99,447 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

Does more inspection scrutiny mean more findings?

Each dot is one of 21 Public Administration employers with an OSHA inspection on record, placed by inspections and violations cited. The highlighted dot is Seattle Fire Department.

Seattle Fire Department has 6 OSHA inspections on record and 19 violations cited. The crosshair marks the median among these Public Administration peers. Across this sector's tracked employers, more inspections is moderately associated with more violations found -- not a coincidence, but not a guarantee either.

Seattle Fire Department in the Public Administration enforcement ledger

Among 1,870 Public Administration employers with OSHA penalties on file, Seattle Fire Department ranks #393 at $17,100 current penalty. On wage-and-hour enforcement alone, Seattle Fire Department ranks #96 among 501 Public Administration employers with WHD recoveries ($55,318).

Combined federal exposure here: $17,100 OSHA penalties plus $55,318 WHD back wages (76.4% of the combined total is wage recovery).

How Seattle Fire Department Compares

Seattle Fire Department's 3.17 violations per inspection compares to the Public Administration sector average of 6.4 violations per employer.

Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,606 per employer, this employer's current OSHA penalty runs far above peers (6.6x the sector average).

Total Inspections

First Inspection

2010-09-21

Last Inspection

2014-12-22

Inspection Span

4 yrs

Violations / Inspection

3.2

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$2,850

Industry Avg / Inspection

$827

What this shows 6 inspections over 4 years, averaging 3.2 violations per visit. That's $2,850 per inspection vs. the Public Administration average of $827.

Serious

78.9% of total

Willful

0.0% of total

Repeat

0.0% of total

Other-Than-Serious

21.1% 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.

Initial Penalty Assessed

$17,100

Current Penalty Amount

$17,100

Penalty Reduction

None

Combined Impact (OSHA + WHD)

$72,418

What this shows No reduction on record. The current penalty matches the original OSHA assessment.

Wage & Hour Findings

WHD Cases

Back Wages Owed

$55,318

Employees Affected

WHD Violations

Avg Back Wages per Employee

$3,688

Avg Back Wages per CaseAbove average

$55,318

The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division found that Seattle Fire Department owed $55,318 in back wages to 15 employees across 1 case and 16 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 Seattle Fire Department compares to the Public Administration sector, which has 9,693 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric	Seattle Fire Department	Industry Avg
Inspections	6	3.2
Violations	19	6.4
Total Penalty	$17,100	$2,606
Avg Penalty per Inspection	$2,850	$827

View all 9,693 employers in Public Administration →

Nationwide Public Administration peers with similar penalties or inspection counts

Two OSHA-record peer sets for Seattle Fire Department, both outside WA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment.

Similar current OSHA penalty

Nearest same-sector employers by current assessed penalty ($17,100 here).

Township of Edison - Public Safety Center $17,100 NJ San Jose Department of Transportation $17,170 CA New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development $17,000 NJ Salem County Court House $17,000 NJ

Similar OSHA inspection count

Same-sector employers with a comparable inspection history outside this state (6 inspections here).

PSD-Maui Community Correctional Center 6 insp. Wailuku, HI Niagara County 6 insp. Lockport, NY Wartrace - Wastewater Treatment Plant 6 insp. Wartrace, TN Buffalo City Police Dept. E-District 6 insp. Buffalo, NY

Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration

Showing 5 of 9692 other employers tracked in this sector.

Village of Ridgefield Park

Ridgefield Park, NJ

17 inspections $72,800

City of Newark, Dept. of Engineering

Newark, NJ

7 inspections $73,000

Town of Boonton

Boonton, NJ

3 inspections $71,700

Newark Police Department - 2nd Precinct

Newark, NJ

3 inspections $71,500

St. Martin Parish School Board

Breaux Bridge, LA

0 inspections $0

Compare Seattle Fire Department vs Village of Ridgefield Park side-by-side →

What to do with this record

Use Seattle Fire Department's enforcement history as one data point, not the whole picture.

A single employer's record can look unusual in isolation. Compare Seattle Fire Department against Village of Ridgefield Park, a similarly-sized employer in the same sector, before drawing conclusions. Compare side-by-side
See whether Seattle Fire Department's inspection and penalty record is typical for Public Administration or an outlier against the sector's own average. View the Public Administration sector
Seattle Fire Department also carries $55,318 in Wage and Hour Division back-wages, a separate enforcement track from OSHA safety violations. How wage-theft enforcement works

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 Seattle Fire Department safe to work at? ▼

Based on OSHA records, Seattle Fire Department's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 19 violations across 6 inspections, including 15 serious violations. 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 Seattle Fire Department have? ▼

Seattle Fire Department has 19 OSHA violations on record, including 15 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $17,100.

How many OSHA inspections has Seattle Fire Department had? ▼

Seattle Fire Department has had 6 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2010-09-21 and the most recent on 2014-12-22. This averages 3.2 violations per inspection.

What is the total penalty amount for Seattle Fire Department? ▼

Seattle Fire Department has been assessed $17,100 in current OSHA penalties. Additionally, $55,318 in back wages were owed through WHD enforcement.

Does Seattle Fire Department have any serious or willful violations? ▼

Yes. Seattle Fire Department has 15 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.

Has Seattle Fire Department been cited for wage theft? ▼

Yes. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has recorded 1 enforcement case against Seattle Fire Department, resulting in $55,318 in back wages owed to 15 affected workers. These cases involve violations of federal labor laws including minimum wage, overtime, and other worker protections.

What industry does Seattle Fire Department operate in? ▼

Seattle Fire Department operates in the Public Administration sector (NAICS code 922160). This industry has 9,693 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 30,559 total OSHA inspections and $25.26M in cumulative penalties.

What should I do if Seattle Fire Department owes me wages? ▼

If you believe Seattle 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 $55,318 in back wages owed by this employer across 1 case.

Where does Seattle Fire Department rank nationally on OSHA penalties? ▼

Among the 99,447 U.S. employers with a nonzero current OSHA penalty in PlainWorker's corpus, Seattle Fire Department ranks #20,965 (the top quarter 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 Seattle Fire Department's safety record compare to industry average? ▼

Seattle Fire Department's total OSHA penalty of $17,100 is above the Public Administration industry average of $2,606 per employer (6.6x the average). The employer has 6 inspections compared to the industry average of 3.2 per employer. For a direct comparison, City of Newark, Dept. of Engineering in Newark, NJ is a similar public administration employer with $73,000 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.