Public Administration · Seattle, WA
Seattle Fire Department
According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Seattle Fire Department has a concerning safety record: 19 violations across 6 inspections. See the full breakdown below.
- $17,100
- OSHA penalties
- 19
- Violations cited
- 6
- OSHA inspections
- $55,318
- Back wages owed
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. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in 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
- 79%
- of penalized employers rank lower
- $55,318
- in back wages recovered
How Seattle Fire Department compares on OSHA penalties
Total current penalty vs the Public Administration per-employer average
- Seattle Fire Department
Seattle Fire Department
$17,100 in penalties
- Public Administration avg $2,581
Public Administration industry average (per employer)
$2,581 in penalties
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 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 Seattle Fire Department
The federal enforcement record for Seattle Fire Department in Seattle, WA includes 6 OSHA inspections and 19 violations, translating to 3.17 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 15 (78.9%) 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 $17,100 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $17,100 - no reduction from the original assessment. Average penalty per inspection works out to $2,850. Against the Public Administration industry average of $2,581 per employer, this record runs far above peers (6.6x the sector average). The Wage and Hour Division added 1 case producing $55,318 in back wages owed to 15 affected workers.
Inspection activity spans from 2010-09-21 to 2014-12-22, a window of roughly 4 years.
Enforcement detail
OSHA Inspection History
Total Inspections
6
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
$826
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 $826.
Enforcement detail
Violation Breakdown
15
Serious
78.9% of total
0
Willful
0.0% of total
0
Repeat
0.0% of total
4
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.
Enforcement detail
Penalty Analysis
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
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 9,788 employers tracked by PlainWorker.
| Metric | Seattle Fire Department | Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Inspections | 6 | 3.1 |
| Violations | 19 | 6.4 |
| Total Penalty | $17,100 | $2,581 |
| Avg Penalty per Inspection | $2,850 | $826 |
Nearby & Similar Employers in Public Administration
Compare Seattle Fire Department vs Village of Ridgefield Park side-by-side →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to check next
Seattle Fire Department's record is one establishment in a larger pattern. Use it as a research checklist, not a verdict on the employer overall.
- See how Seattle Fire Department 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.