ABEC INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, ABEC INC — a iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing facility located at 4420 E MUSTARD WAY, SPRINGFIELD, MO 65803 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 16 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $31,400.00. The inspection case was opened on 2015-02-26.

The volume of citations issued during this inspection suggests systematic compliance deficiencies rather than isolated incidents. Facilities with 10 or more citations typically face comprehensive abatement requirements and may be subject to follow-up inspections.

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.

EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Water Act, RCRA Hazardous Waste. Source: EPA ECHO database.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $31,400.00 is more than 4.9× the national average of $6,436.62 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 331111). This sector encompasses 82,943 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $533.9M.

State Context: Within MO, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 41,963 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,902.40.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 16 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 14 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 1 other-than-serious — The violation has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause death or serious physical harm.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning July 13, 2015 with the latest abatement deadline set for November 13, 2015. Of the 16 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 $31,400.00 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 $1,962.50 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of ABEC Inc.’s Springfield facility revealed a profound systemic failure to manage specialized chemical hazards, specifically regarding hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) exposure within the iron and steel manufacturing process. The citation profile was heavily weighted toward 29 CFR 1910.1026 violations, indicating that the employer failed to implement nearly every fundamental pillar of a mandated chromium safety program. For workers, this meant regular exposure to a known carcinogen without adequate air monitoring, medical surveillance, or specialized personal protective equipment. The recurring "Serious" designations with maximum gravity scores of 10 underscored the high probability of long-term health degradation, including respiratory tract damage and increased cancer risks. While the total penalty of $31,400 may appear moderate compared to multi-million dollar corporate fines, it represented a significant enforcement action for a single-site inspection in 2015, particularly given that the violations spanned from industrial hygiene deficiencies to mechanical safeguarding on abrasive wheels. The absence of a robust hearing conservation program further suggested a culture of reactive rather than proactive safety management. The sheer density of Cr(VI)