BEST GRADING COMPANY

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BEST GRADING COMPANY — a industry sector 00 facility located at 1501 LAKESIDE DRIVE, LYNCHBURG, VA 24501 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 6 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $37,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 1994-08-22.

Federal investigators determined that one or more violations at this facility were committed willfully — meaning the employer either knowingly failed to comply with OSHA standards or acted with plain indifference to employee safety. Willful violations carry the highest penalty multipliers under the OSH Act.

State Context: Within VA, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 62,574 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $2,237.86.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 6 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 4 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 willful — The employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation, demonstrating either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the OSH Act or plain indifference to employee safety and health. 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 December 29, 1994 with the latest abatement deadline set for December 16, 2008. Of the 6 total citations, 5 (83%) have been marked as abated in DOL records, indicating substantial compliance with corrective action requirements.

Penalty Assessment: The cumulative penalty of $37,000.00 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 $6,166.67 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement action against Best Grading Company revealed a systemic breakdown in heavy equipment maintenance and operator safety protocols.