BESSE FOREST PRODUCTS, INC.

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BESSE FOREST PRODUCTS, INC. — a manufacturing facility located at 200 C AVENUE, GOODMAN, WI 54125 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 48 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $157,593.80. The inspection case was opened on 2018-07-05.

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 $157,593.80 is more than 18.7× the national average of $8,414.32 for facilities in the Manufacturing sector (NAICS 321211). This sector encompasses 52,095 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $438.3M.

State Context: Within WI, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 43,331 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,505.68.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 48 citations spanning 8 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 11 serious — A workplace hazard that could cause death or serious physical harm exists, and the employer knew or should have known about the condition. 2 repeat — A substantially similar violation was found during a previous inspection and the original citation has become a final order. 2 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 January 9, 2015 with the latest abatement deadline set for October 10, 2017. Of the 48 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 $157,593.80 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 $3,283.20 falls within the standard penalty range.

The inspection of Besse Forest Products, Inc. reveals a deeply entrenched pattern of non-compliance that suggests a systemic failure of the facility’s safety management program. With 48 citations and penalties exceeding $157,000, this enforcement action reflects a risk profile far more severe than the industry average for wood products manufacturing. The technical core of the risk involves critical deficiencies in Lockout/Tagout (