136563 - SOUTHERN METALS RECYCLING, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, 136563 - SOUTHERN METALS RECYCLING, INC. — a recyclable material merchant wholesalers facility located at 2923 HWY 421 N, WILMINGTON, NC 28402 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 2 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $14,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2017-12-05.

DOL records document workplace safety violations warranting formal citation under the OSH Act. While classified at the standard enforcement level, all OSHA citations require corrective action and may indicate areas where workplace safety programs should be strengthened.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.6 per 100 full-time workers — near the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 4.4 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $14,000.00 is more than 2.7× the national average of $5,185.75 for facilities in the Wholesale sector (NAICS 423930). This sector encompasses 30,869 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $160.1M.

State Context: Within NC, this facility's penalty places it at the 98th percentile among 88,256 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,699.39.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 2 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 2 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning February 2, 2018 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 28, 2018. Of the 2 total citations, 0 (0%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, which may indicate ongoing compliance gaps requiring further regulatory attention.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $14,000.00 reflects OSHA's gravity-based penalty calculation methodology, which considers the severity of potential injury, the probability of occurrence, the employer's size, good faith, and violation history. The per-citation average of $7,000.00 falls within the standard penalty range.