ALPHA BAKING COMPANY INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, ALPHA BAKING COMPANY INC. — a manufacturing facility located at 5001 W. POLK STREET, CHICAGO, IL 60644 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 7 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $164,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2024-08-15.

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.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $164,000.00 is more than 19.2× the national average of $8,527.19 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 311812). This sector encompasses 24,420 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $208.2M.

State Context: Within IL, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 88,899 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,496.90.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 7 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 7 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 3, 2025 with the latest abatement deadline set for February 28, 2025. Of the 7 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 per-citation average of $23,428.57 exceeds OSHA's FY2024 statutory maximum of $16,131 for serious violations, indicating the presence of willful or repeat classifications that carry enhanced penalty authority under Section 17 of the OSH Act.

The enforcement profile for Alpha Baking Company’s Chicago facility reveals a troubling pattern of recidivism regarding mechanical