BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC.
According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. — a other chemical and allied products merchant wholesalers facility located at 81 WEST HULLER LANE, READING, PA 19605 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 23 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $57,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2012-09-26.
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.
BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.6 per 100 full-time workers — near the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 4.4 per 100,000 workers.
EPA Environmental Record: The EPA shows no current violations for this facility. regulated under: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Toxics Release Inventory. Source: EPA ECHO database.
Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $57,000.00 is more than 11.0× the national average of $5,185.75 for facilities in the Wholesale sector (NAICS 424690). This sector encompasses 30,869 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $160.1M.
State Context: Within PA, this facility's penalty places it at the 100th percentile among 84,409 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,015.83.
Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 23 citations spanning 4 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 15 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 March 19, 2013 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 3, 2013. Of the 23 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 $57,000.00 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 $2,478.26 falls within the standard penalty range.
The 2012 inspection of Brenntag Northeast revealed a systemic breakdown in Process Safety Management (
This facility's $57,000 penalty is higher than 99% of all penalized companies in the NAICS 424690 industry in PA. The state average penalty for this industry is $9,144.
Comparing penalized facilities in READING, PA (Exact Industry)
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What OSHA violations was BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. cited for?
BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. received 23 citation(s) covering 4 distinct OSHA standards. Total proposed penalties were $57,000.00. The inspection opened on 2012-09-26.
How much was BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. fined by OSHA?
OSHA proposed penalties of $57,000.00 against BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. in READING, PA. Average per citation: $2,478.26.
Is BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. a safe workplace?
Based on enforcement records, BRENNTAG NORTHEAST, INC. has a risk score of 32 out of 100. 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.
How does this penalty compare to the industry average?
The average penalty for Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers facilities is $5,185.75. This facility penalty of $57,000.00 is above the industry average.