BERRY GLOBAL, INC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BERRY GLOBAL, INC — a all other plastics product manufacturing facility located at 650 LILLARD DRIVE, SPARKS, NV 89434 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 3 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $35,469.00. The inspection case was opened on 2024-11-19.

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 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 $35,469.00 is more than 4.2× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 326199). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within NV, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 27,382 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $1,830.01.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 3 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 3 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning April 23, 2025 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 5, 2025. Of the 3 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 $35,469.00 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 $11,823.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement action against Berry Global’s Sparks facility reveals a critical breakdown in fundamental life-safety protocols, specifically regarding fall protection and electrical infrastructure. The citations under 1910.140 point to a systemic failure in the management of personal fall protection systems, where both hardware integrity and lifeline protection were compromised. For the workforce, these deficiencies meant that even if employees utilized required safety harnesses, the systems intended to arrest a fall were likely to fail due to improper anchorage design or mechanical damage to lifelines, effectively rendering the protection illusory. The simultaneous citation of 1910.305(b)(1)(ii) underscores a broader pattern of neglected facility maintenance; unprotected wiring entering enclosures poses a persistent risk of insulation abrasion, leading to arc flashes or energized equipment frames. While no willful designations were issued, the uniform gravity rating of five across all three violations, paired with a total penalty exceeding $35,000, reflects an aggressive enforcement stance. This penalty amount is significantly higher than the industry average for plastics manufacturing, where electrical and fall hazards are often treated as secondary to machine guarding. The nature of