Wholesale Trade · Grand Rapids, MI

Vanguard Fire & Supply CO

According to OSHA enforcement records (2010–2026), Vanguard Fire & Supply CO has a concerning safety record: 29 violations across 2 inspections. See the full breakdown below.

Lower half by penalty38% serious
$2,900
OSHA penalties
29
Violations cited
2
OSHA inspections
#69,910
of 100,495 penalized employers

Vanguard Fire & Supply CO in Grand Rapids, MI has been the subject of 2 OSHA workplace inspections and 29 citations since 2010, according to enforcement records from the U.S. Department of Labor. Total penalties assessed: $2,900. All enforcement data below is sourced from the DOL public enforcement databases at data.dol.gov.

The record in one line

OSHA has inspected Vanguard Fire & Supply CO 2 times over 2 years, roughly annually. These inspections turned up 29 violations, averaging 14.5 per inspection - an extremely dense concentration of citations. Its total OSHA penalty ranks in the lower half of penalized employers nationally. Of these, 11 were classified as serious - indicating hazards that could cause death or serious harm. Against the Wholesale Trade industry average of 2 inspections per employer, this sits roughly in line with peers (1.0x the sector average) on inspection frequency. For comparison, Farmers Elevator Company of Manteno in Manteno, IL is another wholesale trade employer with 4 OSHA inspections on record and $2,900 in current penalties.

14.5
violations per inspection
37.9%
of violations were serious
30%
of penalized employers rank lower

How Vanguard Fire & Supply CO compares on OSHA penalties

Total current penalty vs the Wholesale Trade per-employer average

in penalties

What this shows Vanguard Fire & Supply CO runs moderately below peers (0.3x 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

$2,900 Top 30% most affordable more affordable than 70% 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 Vanguard Fire & Supply CO

The federal enforcement record for Vanguard Fire & Supply CO in Grand Rapids, MI includes 2 OSHA inspections and 29 violations, translating to 14.50 violations per inspection. Of those violations, 11 (37.9%) 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 $7,250 in initial penalties against this employer, later adjusted to a current total of $2,900 - a 60.0% reduction. Average penalty per inspection works out to $1,450. Against the Wholesale Trade industry average of $9,023 per employer, this record runs moderately below peers (0.3x the sector average).

Inspection activity spans from 2011-09-21 to 2013-09-09, a window of roughly 2 years.

Enforcement detail

OSHA Inspection History

Total Inspections

2

First Inspection

2011-09-21

Last Inspection

2013-09-09

Inspection Span

2 yrs

Violations / Inspection

14.5

Avg Penalty / Inspection

$1,450

Industry Avg / Inspection

$4,678

What this shows 2 inspections over 2 years, averaging 14.5 violations per visit. That's $1,450 per inspection vs. the Wholesale Trade average of $4,678.

Enforcement detail

Violation Breakdown

11

Serious

37.9% of total

0

Willful

0.0% of total

0

Repeat

0.0% of total

18

Other-Than-Serious

62.1% 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

$7,250

Current Penalty Amount

$2,900

Penalty Reduction

60.0%

What this shows Penalties were reduced by $4,350 from the initial assessment of $7,250. Reductions may result from informal settlements, formal contests, or negotiated agreements with OSHA.

Industry Safety Context: Wholesale Trade

How Vanguard Fire & Supply CO compares to the Wholesale Trade sector, which has 6,960 employers tracked by PlainWorker.

Metric Vanguard Fire & Supply CO Industry Avg
Inspections 2 1.9
Violations 29 5.4
Total Penalty $2,900 $9,023
Avg Penalty per Inspection $1,450 $4,678

Nearby & Similar Employers in Wholesale Trade

Compare Vanguard Fire & Supply CO vs West Central Ag Services side-by-side →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vanguard Fire & Supply CO safe to work at?
Based on OSHA records, Vanguard Fire & Supply CO's workplace safety record is concerning, with multiple serious compliance issues. The employer has 29 violations across 2 inspections, including 11 serious violations. Compared to Wholesale Trade industry peers, this is below average for penalties. Review the full inspection history below for details.
How many OSHA violations does Vanguard Fire & Supply CO have?
Vanguard Fire & Supply CO has 29 OSHA violations on record, including 11 serious, 0 willful, and 0 repeat violations. The total current penalty amount is $2,900.
How many OSHA inspections has Vanguard Fire & Supply CO had?
Vanguard Fire & Supply CO has had 2 OSHA inspections, with the first recorded on 2011-09-21 and the most recent on 2013-09-09. This averages 14.5 violations per inspection.
What is the total penalty amount for Vanguard Fire & Supply CO?
Vanguard Fire & Supply CO has been assessed $2,900 in current OSHA penalties, reduced from an initial assessment of $7,250 (a 60.0% reduction).
Does Vanguard Fire & Supply CO have any serious or willful violations?
Yes. Vanguard Fire & Supply CO has 11 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.
What industry does Vanguard Fire & Supply CO operate in?
Vanguard Fire & Supply CO operates in the Wholesale Trade sector (NAICS code 423850). This industry has 6,960 employers tracked by PlainWorker, with 13,424 total OSHA inspections and $62.80M in cumulative penalties.
How does Vanguard Fire & Supply CO's safety record compare to industry average?
Vanguard Fire & Supply CO's total OSHA penalty of $2,900 is below the Wholesale Trade industry average of $9,023 per employer. The employer has 2 inspections compared to the industry average of 1.9 per employer. For a direct comparison, Farmers Elevator Company of Manteno in Manteno, IL is a similar wholesale trade employer with $2,900 in current penalties.

Explore PlainWorker

What to check next

Vanguard Fire & Supply CO'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 2 inspections on record. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.