CEASER CHIMNEY SERVICE, LLC

According to U.S. Department of Labor enforcement records, CEASER CHIMNEY SERVICE, LLC — a masonry contractors facility located at 133 ISLINGTON STREET, PORTSMOUTH, NH 03801 — was the subject of a formal OSHA inspection that resulted in 6 citation(s) and cumulative proposed penalties of $36,000.00. The inspection case was opened on 2022-10-17.

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.

BLS Injury Data: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), this industry sector has an occupational injury rate of 2.8 per 100 full-time workers — 4% above the national average of 2.7. The sector fatality rate is 9.6 per 100,000 workers.

Industry Benchmark: The total penalty of $36,000.00 is more than 10.0× the national average of $3,609.14 for facilities in the Construction sector (NAICS 238140). This sector encompasses 532,749 inspected facilities nationwide with aggregate penalties totaling $1,922.8M.

State Context: Within NH, this facility's penalty places it at the 99th percentile among 12,674 inspected facilities. The statewide average penalty is $3,397.44.

Citation Analysis: The inspection produced 6 citations spanning 2 distinct OSHA regulatory standards. The citation breakdown includes: 5 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.

Enforcement Timeline: Citations were issued beginning December 27, 2022 with the latest abatement deadline set for May 1, 2023. Of the 6 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 $36,000.00 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 $6,000.00 falls within the standard penalty range.

The enforcement record for Ceaser Chimney Service, LLC reveals a critical breakdown in fundamental life-safety protocols, most notably evidenced by a Willful violation of 29 CFR 1910.22(c). By categorizing the failure to provide covers or guardrails for open pits and floor holes as Willful, OSHA signaled that management demonstrated either an intentional disregard for worker safety or a plain indifference to the requirements of the OSH Act. This single violation accounted for nearly 97% of the total $36,000 penalty, a figure that significantly exceeds industry averages for small masonry contractors and underscores the high-gravity nature of the fall hazards present. Beyond the physical fall risks, the recurring citations under 1910.134 demonstrate a systemic failure to implement a functional Respiratory Protection Program. The absence of medical evaluations, fit testing, and proper training suggests that workers were potentially exposed to hazardous particulates—common in chimney services—without the necessary administrative or physiological safeguards. The convergence of a Willful walking-working surface violation and a broad failure in respiratory compliance indicates a reactive safety culture rather than a proactive management system. This pattern of neglect suggests that the employer viewed safety standards as optional, creating an environment where catastrophic falls and long-term pulmonary illnesses were foreseeable outcomes of daily operations.