65511 - RECYCLING EXPRESS INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, 65511 - RECYCLING EXPRESS INC — a wood container and pallet manufacturing facility located at 8505 DIXIE HIGHWAY, FLORENCE, KY 41042 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 15 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $65,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2022-10-12.

Cumulative penalties significantly exceed the national median for OSHA enforcement actions. The penalty amount suggests multiple high-gravity citations, indicating conditions that presented a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to employees.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 3.3 per 100 full-time workers — 22% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 2.3 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $65,000.00 is more than 7.7× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 321920). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within KY, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 26,562 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,754.01.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 15 citations spanning 9 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 10 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 4 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm. 1 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 March 23, 2023 with the latest abatement deadline set for April 10, 2023. Of the 15 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 $65,000.00 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 $4,333.33 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for Recycling Express Inc. reveals a systemic failure to maintain basic life safety and mechanical integrity